Soul in a Locket
by hello-shadows
Summary: (formerly known as [SILVER AND GREEN]) Sabella is a quiet one, and while her muggle primary school teachers said it held her back, in places, silence is an advantage. When she is sorted into Slytherin, her quiet makes her voice that much louder when she does speak. When she speaks, even the most twisted listen. Slow build, AU after year three
1. Prologue

Fire.

Fire was everywhere. Climbing the walls, gnawing at the floors, spiraling through the air, taking the form of beasts and creatures. An eagle of flame was swooping down, flying from the burning house toward a tiny figure. Her mother dove forward, wrapping her arms around the child, just as the flames licked her shoulder. They disappeared with a loud crack, appearing in a very different place, many miles away. They were in front of a manor, gardens and hedges around them.

The child began to scream, and her mother bent to comfort her, while shaking with sobs herself.

Now, a slightly hunched figure was hurrying from the manor toward them.

"Elizabella! What happened? Where's Ernest?" The older woman demanded.

The other just sobbed.

"They… th-they came to our house, they tra-trapped us inside! Then, they used Fiendfyre and we… we couldn't get out. I got Bella and smashed a window to get out." Elizabella slumped down onto her knees. "But… but -but I couldn't find him! He was inside! I heard him, but I couldn't reach him! He's gone! Gone! It's been five years since the war was finished! Why now?" She was shrieking, pulling at her once beautiful hair. Suddenly something seemed to occur to her. She looked up, up at the moon. "No. No! No! He can't be dead! Ernest can survive anything!" She staggered to her feet, swaying slightly. "I've got to get him! We have to go!"

She spun as though trying to apparate, but the older woman grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Eliza. If it was really Fiendfyre, then there is nothing we can do." She pulled the younger woman to face her. "We need to accept that."

Elizabella was quiet for a moment, then she spoke, her voice trembling with rage. "How can you say that?! He's your son!" She yelled.

The older woman look as though she had been slapped. Tears welled in her eyes. "I know. But we have to be strong, if not, they have already won this battle. We have to be strong for the family, we have to be strong for the world, but most of all we have to be strong for Bella. She's barely five years old!"

The two women looked at each other, tears running down their cheeks. Eventually, Elizabella nodded. She stooped down and picked up her daughter. She stood and walked towards the manor, leaving the older woman.

The woman looked to the sky. She hoped with all her body, mind and soul that strength was enough.

It was not. Elizabella died two months later. She had been wounded in the fire, but it was really her heart that failed.

She died holding her mother-in-law and daughter's hands.


	2. The Letter

**Hello Dear Reader! My name is Lyra, and this is my first proper fanfiction, so if you have suggestions, ideas, questions, or comments please leave an actual comment to tell me. I'll try to respond to questions, but feel free to tell me what I'm doing wrong. As you can probably can guess what Bella's Sorting is, but hopefully she won't fully reflect the character traits associated with that house, but the idea is that it will build her to her full potential. She will not end up dark, I promise, but she will be far from perfect too. Also before anyone says anything, yes, Bella's name is a nod to Bellatrix, just don't ask why yet. I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters except Bella and her direct family (she is canonically related to a few pureblood families distantly)**

 **Well, here it goes:**

Sabella Castalia Dagworth-Granger was an odd girl, even what with her being a witch. The muggles down in the village of Ambleside either thought of her as 'that kind little girl with the ocean in her eyes' or 'that strangely quiet girl from up the way'. One way or the other, Bella was different than the children she attended the Windermere School with, and normally, people just ignored it. She had lived with her Aunt Elena at Number One, Wansfell Holme since she was five, and rater enjoyed it. The house was an old, well worn stone mansion perched upon a hill above Lake Windermere, and was almost constantly buffeted by wind from down the lake. Bella loved being able to see the lake from her bedroom windows, the choppy black-blue water reflecting the greying clouds, the water almost singing her to sleep at night.

But now everything was changing, as Bella had turned eleven at the beginning of the year, and two weeks ago, she had received her Hogwarts letter. On that fateful day, Bella had been sat at the dining table, trying to eat her sausages and toast, when the polite tapping of an owl came from the porch. She grabbed her last sausage and padded out onto the porch in her socks to find a large barn owl sitting calmly with its leg outstretched on the porch railing. A creamy official envelope was tied there, with a red seal marking it, and as she looked at it, Bella found that she knew exactly what it was.

With shaking hands, Bella unfastened the envelope and turned it over to read:

Ms. S. Dagworth-Granger

1 Wansfell Holme

Ambleside

Cumbria

Bella let out a yelp. "It's here! Auntie! My letter's here!"

There was an almighty crash and a few rather rude words, and then Elana was thundering down the stairs and around the dining table to wrap Bella in a hug. Elana was rather short for a fully grown woman, but she still dwarfed Bella. "Oh, thank heavens! I was beginning to get worried we wouldn't have time to shop! You _do_ need new clothes anyway, don't you, we've got to go as soon as possible - Oh! If only those damn goblins would let me take a moment off, oh well, can you wait a fortnight?"

Bella looked up at her Aunt and grinned. "Just barely!"

Elena frowned. "I am sorry we can't go sooner, it's just that Striok wants my papers on the new wards in next Wednesday, and I really can't take a break. If you want to go sooner we could always have Grandmother take you?"

Bella shook her head vigorously. "No, no,no thank you - can you imagine the robes she'd force me into? Nah, I'll stick with you."

Now laughing, her Aunt shrugged. "Whatever you want. You had better go finish your breakfast now, you can read your letter too!"

Following her Aunt back inside and to the table, Bella slowly opened the envelope as she sat down. She unfolded it and smoothed it out in front of her.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

 _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Miss Dagworth-Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

A second paper was quickly pulled out of the envelope, which read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Uniform -

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain black robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black)

One pair protective gloves (dragon hide or the like)

One winter or traveling cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

Course Books-

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

 _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

by Miranda Goshawk

 _A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot

 _Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling

 _A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch

 _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ by Phydila Spore

 _Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger

 _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander

 _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection_ by Quentin Trimble

Other Equipment-

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

And now, almost a fortnight later, Bella was sat on her bed, rereading the letter and adding her own items to the list so that they could get all their yearly shopping done in one go. She was hoping to get a pet, but she wasn't sure if she would find the right one, or really, if it would find her. Being part Selkie made her a Sea-Daughter, and having a pet that was not a toad was highly unlikely. Bella did _not_ want a toad. But, apart from that little annoyance, she was rather excited.

The thing she was most looking forward to was her wand. Oh, she had tried out her father's wand when she was younger, and fooled around with Elena's in the past few years, but from what she had heard, the wand chooses the wizard, or witch in this case, and her magic would flow through her real wand like an extension of herself. Though she wasn't sure if she believed that, as Ethan, her best friend's older brother, had told her about wands, and he was hardly reliable at the best of times. But either way, she could ask Elena the next day, or maybe even Mr Ollivander, the wandmaker.

Bella unfurled herself from her cross-legged sitting position and made her way across the room to switch off the light. Hector, Elena's large grey cat paused from his nightly patrol outside of her bedroom and looked up at her with his large yellow-green eyes a mewed. "Do you need something?" She asked the imperious looking cat.

He looked at her, twitched his tail, and walked away. "Well, you don't have to be rude about it Hector."

Hector mewed again and jumped up to the window, and out onto the porch roof.

Bella shook her head. The cat was only polite to his owner, Elena, and brought her presents that he'd found in the woods behind the house. She sighed and closed her door most of the way, then got into bed. The lapping of the lake calmed her as it always did, but she felt a stronger than usual urge to roll out of bed, cross her room to the grey bureau in the corner and slip on her Cloak. Then, the little voice told her, she would go down to the lake and have her last proper swim for a very long time.

 _But really, what I need to do, is go to sleep._ Bella thought. _Tomorrow's a rather big day._

 **Yep I know that was really uneventful, but I'm just starting by introducing characters, places and concepts, so please don't sue me. I'll try to post again soon, but no promises there, as I have midterms coming up.**

 **Bye!**

 **-Lyra**


	3. Diagon Alley

**Hi there! This is the customary shopping trip of all Hogwarts students, and I think it will go well. Bella won't meet anyone new yet, because I have things planned for the Hogwarts Express. BTW Bella lives in the Lake District which is a ways away from London, so I thought it made sense for there to be a smaller magical square nearby. Anyway, I don't own HP, or any of the characters except Bella, family and friends.**

—

Bella woke early the next morning to the ringing of her golden many-handed clock sat upon her bedside table. The sun was hardly touching the tops of her windows, but the scant light was slipping into her room through the long white curtains covering them. Bella lived in a very nice room, and she was rather grateful for it. It wasn't to large, but it was far from cramped, and the two tall windows on the far wall gave it an airy feeling. It was painted pale blue and had a matching set of varnished oak desk and bureau. The desk was against the wall parallel to her bed while the bureau was pushed against the wall on the right side of the door. Her bed's frame was a lighter oak, but the headboard fit between the wall and the frame of the window, so there it sat, looking, in Bella's opinion, rather resolute. In almost every corner of the room, there were a few stacks of book, as Bella never bothered putting her reading back in the library or the study.

But today was not a day for pondering her room, she was off to Hogwarts! One of the most respected schools in all of Europe, and Bella was about to go shopping in preparation. She could hardly wait around thinking, not today, of all days.

Bella bounded out of bed and across the cool wood floor to her bureau and pulled out some muggle clothes as she assumed that they'd get to Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron. A faded purple shirt, jeans and a pair of white trainers were quickly pulled on. She then yanked most of her long brown hair over one shoulder and carefully brushed it with a silver goblin-made comb that always sat atop her bureau.

Now ready, Bella bounced down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Aunt Elena was bustling around, making tea, and Poppy, their house-elf, was standing on a wooden stool, cooking a breakfast of bacon and eggs. The dishes were washing themselves, as they usually were, soapsuds flying and hot water pouring from the tap, and potatoes, which Bella assumed were for supper, were peeling themselves into the compost can.

"Goodmorning Mistress Bellie!" Poppy called, without looking up from her current task of flipping the bacon.

Bella grinned. "Morning Poppy!" She replied, not bothering to keep the excitement from her voice.

"Excited are we?" Said Aunt Elena.

"Of course!" Chirped Bella.

Bella sat down at the table and pulled the already made eggs toward her, shoveling some onto her plate. Poppy finished the bacon and the pan floated over, depositing two pieces onto Bella's plate as well.

Eating quickly, Bella waited until Aunt Elena was sat across from her, sipping tea, before asking her question. "Where are we going first?"

Aunt Elena looked up from her tea and frowned in thought. "Well, I always found it was easiest to get my robes first, I suppose. I got some money from Gringotts yesterday-" She turned and called out to Poppy, who was now cleaning the inside of their muggle fridge. "Poppy- could you get the money pouch from my dresser?"

The house elf nodded, her huge ears bouncing, placed the rag on the counter, closed the fridge and disappeared with a pop, appearing a moment later with a dark red pouch clinking with coins.

"Thanks Poppy!" Said Aunt Elena, taking the pouch and dropping it on the table. "Then we can go down the list - is that OK?"

Bella grinned, her smile stretching her face. "Of course! I can't wait!"

They ate hastily, as Aunt Elena hoped to get out before the midday shopping rush. After finishing their breakfasts, Bella hopped up and ran to get her list from the drawing room while Auntie went to get ready. They met in the entry hall, where Aunt Elena pulled Bella into a tight one-armed hug. "My little Seal, almost grown up!" She kissed Bella's forehead softly.

Bella laughed, nervously. "Don't worry Auntie, I've got a few years to go."

Aunt Elena nodded absently, seeming lost in thought as she reached for her purse.

They headed down the road to the bus stop, and sat on the little bench and waited. Both Elena and Bella were known populace of the village, so Aunt Elena insisted that whenever they went out, they took the local transport, since the villagers knew they didn't have a car. Generally, they waited at the bus stop, as it was a half mile away, but sometimes, they rode down the narrow road on bikes to the village and either took a bus, or, on occasion, the train, but that happened very rarely.

The wait for the bus depended on the day, week, your luck, and mainly Lester, the cheerful old bus driver who stopped the bus for long catch-ups and conversations. Normally, people didn't mind, but when you were in a hurry, it was rather frustrating. Luckily for Bella, Lester hadn't seen anyone conversation worthy, and they quickly boarded, handed him their fare, and claimed two seats in the middle of the bus. In front of them sat old Mrs. Rees, who immediately engaged Aunt Elena in conversation. "Elena! I haven't seen you in a month! How are your chrysanthemums?" Mrs. Rees had a soft, lilting Welsh accent and an obsession with flowers. Unfortunately, she wasn't very good at keeping them alive, so her front stoop was full of vases filled with flowers, which, to Bella, seemed a bit like a funeral.

Aunt Elena entertained her with a story of how Hector had torn apart part of the front garden but luckily not gotten to the chrysanthemums.

Bella, sitting next to the aisle looked around for someone she knew. Up front, Lester was talking to Mr. Roberts over his shoulder, while zooming down the one lane road, Mr and Mrs Wright seemed to be arguing about groceries, Walker Thompson, the librarian, was reading, and Ms. Clarke was trying to write on a notepad despite the constant bumps of the road. And, to Bella's delight, perched on the last seat of the bus, was Susan, her best friend's older sister, laughing with two other girls. Emily Merkel, Bella's best friend, had the biggest family that was possible. Nine siblings, including Emily, Emily's parents, and a grandmother, all living in a large, cream house right on the edge of town. And, Emily's grandmother was a witch. A real witch, like Aunt Elena and now Bella. So naturally, the entire Merkel family knew about magic, and Bella could tell them anything without breaking the Statute of Secrecy, from the latest broomstick she wanted, to borrowing Grandmother Sara's wand and trying things, she could always get away with it. Fortunately, most potions didn't need any magic from the maker, only magical ingredients, so, as each Merkel child turned eleven, they began learning to brew, and a month and a half ago now, Emily had turned eleven.

Susan, the most popular girl in year eleven at Windermere school, was better at potions than Elena and could have given a Hogwarts fifth year a run for their money. No one except for the Merkels and the Dagworth-Grangers knew this of course, but it was still worth quite a bit.

Bella waved at Susan. Noticing her, Susan beckoned her to the back of the bus. She couldn't help but grin and cautiously make her way down the aisle to the older girls. "Bella! Have you met Anna and Maureen?" Susan asked as she sat down.

Bella nodded.

"Where are you off to? We're going to the cinema to meet Vince and Matthew." Susan flashed her pretty smile.

"That sounds wonderful." Bella said earnestly. "I'm only going school shopping." She said, quietly.

The girl named Anna seemed to be remembering something. "That's right! You're going off to some fancy secondary school, a boarder?"

Bella felt herself go pink but nodded.

"Where are you going shopping? Town, or farther off?" Susan inquired.

Bella realized what she was asking: if they were going to the tiny magical square near Ingleton, or all the way to Diagon Alley.

"Further away I think. Apparently, I need to 'classic experience', but I don't really know what that means." Bella said, but knew that the real reason for going to London was Ollivander's.

Susan smiled again, eyes twinkling . "My Oma thought along the same lines. Do try to bring me a souvenir, will you?"

"And me!" Said Maurleen.

Anna grinned teasingly. "You don't need to bring me anything, unless you want to of course!"

Bella turned pinker. "I'm not very good at that, it's my Auntie who'll know what to get."

Luckily, Bella was saved from further embarrassment when the bus stopped in the town center and Aunt Elena called for her.

Bella grabbed her Aunt's hand and followed her off the bus and into the tiny one-track train station, which was currently filled with the large, dark green steam train, and the entirety of the town that needed to get to work in the city.

But, instead of boarding the train, they slipped into a small nook, and under the cover of the steam filling the station, they apparated away, Bella clutching tightly onto Aunt Elena's arm.

They appeared in the alley beside the Leaky Cauldron that had a heavy Notice-Me-Not Charm on it, and Bella promptly sat down, rather harder than she had wanted to. On the few occasions that she had Side-Along apparated before, she had vomited, so Bella counted herself lucky this time.

"Do you need a moment?" Asked Aunt Elena kindly.

Bella shook her head, getting up as fast as she was capable of.

After a minute or two, they headed around the corner and into the Leaky Cauldron. It was just as she remembered. Warm, spacious, well worn, but still semi-sophisticated, the main pub was lined with a bar along one wall while high and low tables filled the rest of the room, not entirely used at the moment, as it was still early. Around the room, a group of Scottish witches sat around a table sipping tea and gossiping about their grandchildren, a young man with a short beard stirring his coffee wandlessly while reading a muggle book, and three pairs of couples, one of whom looked like vampires, but one always had to reserve judgement. And of course there was Tom, who nodded at them as they passed out into the yard, where Elena tapped the correct bricks, opening the gateway to Diagon Alley.

No matter how many times she visited, Bella was always overwhelmed by Diagon Alley. She could feel the magic flowing around her. Aunt Elena began to walk, and Bella followed. Shops and stands lined the street that the gateway opened onto, which was only partially filled with people. The nearest shop had many cauldrons stacked around the entrance, and above it, a sign said: Cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring - Collapsible. A little further on, an Apothecary with many strange liquids and objects stood. Outside of it stood a plump woman who was shaking her head. "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…"

In front of her, Aunt Elena made a sympathetic noise at the woman.

Soft hooting came from a shop called "Eeylops Owl Emporium - Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy"

Further along still, a shop was selling broomsticks. Several boys, no older than Bella had their noses pressed to the window. Bella heard one say, "Look! The new Nimbus Two Thousand - fastest ever! -"

She jerked to a stop and stared at the broom in the window. It was beautiful, with a polished oak handle, darker twigs furnishing the end and a golden plaque dubbing it 'Nimbus Two Thousand'. Bella stared at it longingly, she loved flying nearly as much as she loved swimming, but had a broom that was five years old now, called the Nimbus Nine Sixty and -

"I am not getting you a broom. You're not allowed one in first year anyway!" Said Aunt Elena, tugging on her sleeve.

They continued on (in Bella's case, grudgingly). There were the shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and odd silver instruments Bella had yet to know what to do with, shops selling potion ingredients and plants, windows stacked with bat spleens and eel eyes, tottering piles of spell books that Bella almost made grabs for, rolls of parchment, potion bottles, and globes of the moon. But, eventually, they made it to Madame Malkin's Robe Shop, and entered to the tinkle of a bell. Madame Malkin herself was sat behind the counter, tracing lines with her wand to make a little silver needle follow and sew. Madame looked up when they came in, and immediately got up, putting her current sewing aside to bustle over to them.

"My first customers of the day!" She looked Bella over. "School robes I suppose? Anything else? We have a new style of dress robe coming in -"

Aunt Elena smiled. "Could we get Bella's school robes quickly then look at some casual robes?"

Madame Malkin smiled excitedly. "Oh, of course! Now, Miss, if you could step over here…"

Bella was led over to a large stool to stand on and robes were quickly fitted to her. When Madame Malkin was done, she turned to Aunt Elena for approval. "Are these OK?" She asked.

"Perfect!" Replied Aunt Elena. "Do you want to get a pair or two of casual robes?" She asked Bella.

Bella nodded.

"Perfect!" Trilled Madame Malkin. "What colour dear?"

Bella was then modeled in many different robes, until, they (really Aunt Elena), picked a dark blue robe that seemed to match everything. Bella didn't protest, why would she? It was going to be the perfect day, if she had any say in it.

Then, they found a pointed black hat that melted to her head, and a new winter cloak, this one with a silver fastener.

Thanking Madame Malkin, they walked down the road to the nearest apothecary, Jones' and Plugs, and got all her potions ingredients, then went next door to get her cauldron, as well as a trunk that expanded on the inside. Aunt Elena argued with the clerk for almost ten minutes about the best standard size of cauldron for first and second years at Hogwarts, before Bella finally tugged her out of the store with a standard size 2 cauldron.

Back in the sunlight of the now bustling Diagon Alley, they headed for Flourish and Blotts, resigned to the shopping rush that now crammed into every school supply providing corner of the shops. They managed to get in and out quickly, considering the crowd, and had all the required books stacked on the counter, as well as a new book for Aunt Elena and many books for Bella.

And then, finally, the thing Bella had looked forward to the most: a wand. She followed Aunt Elena down the street, to a narrow and slightly shabby shop with peeling gold letters over the door reading 'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.'

A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. A tinkling bell rang, somewhere deep in the shop as Aunt Elena pushed the door to let them in. The inside was just as small as Bella had first supposed, and was empty except for a counter and a spindly chair in the corner. Behind the counter, were seemingly thousands of neatly stacked narrow boxes piled up to the ceiling, which she supposed were all wands. Bella's neck tingled slightly, and she remembered vaguely what an old and secret magic wand making was.

"Good morning." Said a soft voice.

Aunt Elena stood sharply from where she had been sitting in the chair. An old man with wide, pale eyes that shimmered like moons now stood in front of them. Bella wondered if he knew how to Apparate silently.

"Mr. Ollivander!" Said Aunt Elena. "How are you?'

"I am very well. This is your niece then, is it, Elena?" Mr. Ollivander peered down at Bella questioningly.

"Yes."

Mr. Ollivander nodded, still looking at Bella, which unnerved her greatly. He stared at her a while longer before starting and saying, "Which is your wand arm?"

"Left," Said Bella shyly.

"Like your father then… hm, well, hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Bella from shoulder to finger, then wrist the elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and around the head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand is completely original, and no two wands are the same. As of the last hundred years, we had always used unicorn hairs, phoenix feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons, but as I said, no two are the same. Some of our older ones that have yet to be sold have more diverse cores, but they generally come from magical creatures, as magical plants don't channel magic as well."

Bella swatted at the tape measure, which was now attempting to measure her ear, and it snapped like a whip at her. As she tripped backwards, away from it, Mr. Ollivander said mildly, "That will do."

The tape measure crumpled sadly to the floor. Mr. Ollivander, Bella now saw, had taken out three boxes from the piles behind him. "Right then, Ms. Dagworth-Granger. Try this: oakwood with a unicorn hair, ten inches, bendy. Just give it a wave."

Bella took it nervously, not knowing what to expect, and waved as she imagined Aunt Elena would; smartly and sweepingly. Mr. Ollivander snatched it front her. "Mahogany and dragon heartstring, eight inches, swishy. Go on, try!"

She did. And again, and again, until the pile of tried wands was so high, she could no longer see over the counter. Not exactly sure what he was looking for, Bella did what he told her.

"Perhaps… an unusual core will suit you? Maybe…" Mr. Ollivander seemed to be talking more to himself than Bella, and she didn't want to interrupt, so she said nothing.

He opened a door she was sure hadn't been there before, and she caught a glimpse of a small room as full of wands as the whole front of the shop, before he slipped in and disappeared.

A long, silent moment passed before he reappeared with four boxes in his arms.

"Now. These are very rare, but you seem to have a much more uncommon magical core. So, try this. Ebony, mer-hair, twelve inches. Go on."

This wand was much long than the others she had tried, and the colour was a black-green. She picked it up carefully, but it too was snatched away.

"No… but it's closer…" Mr. Ollivander muttered, holding out the next wand. "Beech, mirror-otter heartstring, ten inches?"

She picked it up and swished it. She felt a little twinge of something and looked at Mr. Ollivander to see him frowning. "Well I suppose… you are Selkie, are you not?"

Bella blinked. No one had ever been told that except two Ministry officials, the Merkels, and her family. "Yes." She said quietly.

"Ah. How about this? Ocean Willow, selkie hair, eleven inches, supple… this ought to be…" He trailed off.

This was a very odd wand. It was long and smooth, except for runic carvings around the handle, and the wood was a natural blue-grey. Bella picked it up and to her surprise felt the same twinge of something shoot up her arm and fill her entire being. She raised it and then let it drop with a swoosh, and to her even greater surprise, an explosion of purple and silver sparks shot out.

She grinned, an amazing sensation of warmth filling up her core. Mr. Ollivander began to clap, and so did Aunt Elena.

"Well!" Exclaimed Aunt Elena. "That took quite a bit longer than when I got my wand!"

Mr. Ollivander smiled mystically, and rang up her wand for nine galleons.

They walked out of the shop, down the street to the Leaky Cauldron, Bella grinning wildly, her wand now tucked into her right pocket, with her shirt covering it. Aunt Elena smiled at her enthusiasm and said, "Do you want to go out for lunch? Apparently there's a really amazing Asian restaurant a few blocks away."

Bella nodded. She had never had anything except for english and traditional french food. "Anything would be amazing right now!"

And so, they made their way through the Leaky Cauldron and turned left, walking for two blocks, before finding the little Vietnamese shop Aunt Elena had heard of. They spent the rest of the afternoon in the shop, learning to use chopsticks, eating a heavenly creation called 'pho' and talking. Aunt Elena talked about her job, the goblins and the economy, and the latest of her dates, which had been a bit of a disaster, as her date had gone to the restroom and managed to get lost. Bella responded enthusiastically, and asked about classes, teachers, and houses at Hogwarts. She knew a lot about Hogwarts already, from stories of Elena and her friends like Tonks and Ella, to stories from recently by her cousin Liam, who was going into his third year as a Ravenclaw, but really, it couldn't hurt to know more. Afterwards, they wandered around muggle London, window shopping and commentating on signs and people around them. Bella convinced Aunt Elena to get two matching pairs of earrings in the shape of sea shells, so they could match even when she was away.

Eventually, when Bella's legs began to get tired, they walked back the alley next to the Leaky Cauldron and apparated back home to Poppy's dinner of steaming hot stew.


	4. To Hogwarts!

**Hullo! I hope you're enjoying this, and this is all random because there's a few things I want to clarify: FIRSTLY - Bella and her aunt live in Cumbria which has a pretty distinct and heavy accent but Bella had lived in the far outskirts of Canterbury (by the sea) for the first five-ish years of her life, so she doesn't have as strong an accent. ALSO I can't write accents, but I have some cousins from Cumbria, so I know** _ **vaguely**_ **how it sounds but I'm ever so sorry in advance. SECONDLY - the said cousins lost, rather quickly, their accents when they went further south for uni so that is what Bella will do, but** _ **as I said,**_ **I can't write accents, so I'm telling you now.**

 **THIRDLY (and lastly) - Bella is kinda just 'meh' at the moment. The idea is that the Hogwarts houses help develop what can and should be there, so Bella will become, well, slightly less 'meh'.**

 **OK! Done!**

 **I don't own HP, now let's gooooo!**

Over the next few weeks, Bella read all of her new textbooks, as well as a few other books, and she tried as many simple charms as the Trace would allow. She played with the Merkels, especially Emily, and got many lectures from Oma Merkel about the basics of brewing. But, no matter how she spent the days, the last few weeks of summer flew by, and soon, she was packing her trunk by hand (because Aunt Elena said that it was 'character building'). And then, the day came: the first of September.

"Is Mistress Bellie being awake?" Called Poppy, from outside of her room.

"Yes!" Bella called. "I'm almost ready!"

She had make a few last minute additions to her packing; her mother's wedding ring, a picture of herself, her mother and father on a beach next to the sea, a picture of herself and Auntie, and a picture of her, Emily, and Peter, one of their other friends.

Her room felt rather empty, as she had taken most of the pictures and posters hung around her room, as well as a few of the trinkets lying on her desk and bureau. The bed was set, the curtains opened and her trunk was set down neatly by the door, with Bella beside it, surveying her room.

Bella was quite put together in her opinion. Her hair, which could never decide if it was wavy or straight, was pulled into pigtails. She had decided to wear her most causal robes, as they were Flooing directly into the station, and under her robes she wore a skirt and a Weird Sisters shirt. Bella hoped the hall mirror would approve, though she knew it never really did.

Wand slipped carefully into the left-hand pocket of her robes, Bella opened the door and dragged her trunk to the top of the stairway. Before heading downstairs, she looked into the huge ornamental mirror and asked, "How do I look?"

"Passable." The mirror grunted. "Any proper pureblood would judge rather harshly though." The golden woodwork that framed the mirror furrowed as the mirror scowled and ' _humphed_ ' loudly.

Bella snorted. Normally, she didn't care at all what the hall mirror thought, but today, she was hoping to make a good impression.

She was about to drag her trunk down the stairs when Poppy appeared, saving her the effort.

For the second time in a short while, Bella and Aunt Elena ate quickly. Auntie was dressed in her work robes, and was jabbering away excitedly about Hogwarts. Bella didn't speak. She couldn't seem to open her mouth except to eat.

To her own surprise, something she had been looking forward to her whole life now seemed huge, daunting, and entirely terrifying. Previously, Bella had been resigned, almost excited to be placed in Hufflepuff, but now, she thought about other possibilities. _What if I don't get sorted?_ She thought. _I'm not particularly anything; not smart, not brave, not cunning, and not really very loyal. What_ am _I?_

Bella drifted through the morning, and only barely managed to get all of her things to the the sitting room and set down next to the large ornamental fireplace. It was half past ten by the time everything was ready; Bella and Aunt Elena standing next to the fireplace with the luggage and trunk, Poppy attending, holding the blue and white China bowl full of bright green Floo powder.

Aunt Elena cast a fire while Poppy held out the bowl of powder towards them. "You ready, Belle?" Aunt Elena was looking at her, a slightly worried look on her face.

"Just a bit nervous…" Muttered Bella, still uncertain.

"Don't worry. You'll do well anywhere." Auntie said soothingly.

At Bella's continually worried look, she added, "And if things don't work out at Hogwarts, we can always send you to Beauxbatons! We all know how much you _love_ French…"

Bella finally cracked a smile at this, allowing to feel slightly lightened by her Auntie's jests. It was a long-standing joke that, while Grandmother had been teaching Bella French for almost three years now, Bella hadn't been able to follow any part of French conjugation, and therefore relied solely on the memorization of handfuls of words and phases, sounding rather mental when she tried to speak.

" _There's_ a smile from our little Seal!" Aunt Elena grinned. "Now. Grandmother is waiting for us at Grate 4, so we'll send your trunk through first, then you."

Bella nodded and stepped back so that Aunt Elena could throw a hand full of powder into the fire, and heave the large dark brown trunk into the fire after it. "Grate 4, Platform Nine and Three Quarters!"

The trunk disappeared with a huge _fwoosh_ , and Bella stepped forward.

She muttered her thanks and farewells to Poppy, taking a hand full of powder and tossing it into the fireplace. She stepped into the now green flames and felt the strange warmth and tickling sensation.

"Goodbye Mistress Bellie!" Called Poppy.

Aunt Elena nodded, saying, "Speak clearly and carefully, Seal."

Bella nodded again and called, "Grate 4, Platform Nine and Three Quarters!"

Instantly, she was sucked up, or maybe down, she didn't know, spinning wildly past sitting and bed rooms, and only remembered to tuck in her arms after her elbow hit something rather hard. She squinted hard and saw bricks, smoke and many people's indistinct outlines through one, two, three fireplaces, and then she untucked herself, jumping forward so to land standing up. She stumbled, lights and steam blurring her vision, and a warm, wrinkled hand caught her arm.

"There you are Bella! I almost missed your trunk, I wasn't expecting it." There Bella's grandmother stood, slightly hunched, wearing deep purple robes and her usual hugely round glasses.

Bella highly doubted that Grandmother had almost missed the trunk, as she was the most agile eighty-one year old woman she knew of.

"Hello Grandmother." Bella smiled.

The woman pulled her into a tight hug. "I haven't seen you in almost a month, and now you're headed off to Scotland! Oh… _How_ I'll miss you! And - oh!"

Grandmother pulled Bella out of the way just in time, as Aunt Elena spun into view and stepped out of the grate.

"Everything alright, Mum?" Said Elena.

"Of course, of course…" Murmured Grandmother reassuringly.

She flicked her wand, which was suddenly in her hand, and Bella's trunk was bobbing gently in the air. "Now, where do you want to sit? I was just talking to Augusta- ah! There she is."

Bella internally shuddered. Augusta Longbottom was a good friend of Grandmother's, but Bella couldn't help but be terrified of her. She plastered a smile on her face and followed timidly behind Grandmother to where Mrs. Longbottom was berating her grandson, Neville, a blond, chubby boy, about who knows what.

Bella was just about to be resigned to her fate when a golden haired body flew into her and was enveloping her in a tight hug. "BELLA! I haven't seen you in _months!_ " Exclaimed the girl.

This was Lily. Lily Moon. She was taller and lankier than Bella by quite a bit, and also Bella's best friend apart from Emily. In reality, the last time they had seen each other was a fortnight before, but Lily preferred exaggeration to reality.

Bella squealed as well, as Lily's excitement was contagious. "Where's your mum and dad? Are they here?" Asked Bella.

Lily looked around as though she had only just remembered she had parents, then shrugged. "They're around somewhere…" She squinted around, then pointed through a large clump of people clustered around a boy with dreadlocks. She spun around and smiled even wider. "But _that_ doesn't matter! The real question is: where do we want to sit?!"

Bella grinned and shrugged. "You lead!"

A minute later, they had collected their respective trunks and were dragging them down the platform towards the end of the train, giggling and talking the whole way. Lily, ever the gossip, was excitedly informing Bella of the latest, and greatest news. "Did you know that _Harry Potter_ is going to be in the same year as us?"

Bella almost dropped her trunk. "You're _joking_!" She exclaimed. "I knew that he was our age, but - _wow_! We can meet the Boy-Who-Lived!"

Lily giggled. "I know! I bet you anything he'll be a Gryffindor, I bet he's so brave!"

Bella, who had been looking at Lily instead of what was in front of her, slammed into someone rather painfully. She looked up, and then farther up. A very tall boy with wavy brown hair and a pair of rectangular glasses was regaining his balance.

"You're so short, I didn't see you there." He had a slightly aloof air about him, and a very deep voice.

Bella mumbled her apology and started to edge around him. "You're a firstie aren't you?" He didn't wait for a reply, "Well, I hope that you learn to watch where you're going before you're sorted, or you won't get into a good house."

Bella gaped. How could someone manage to be so rude in only a few sentences?

"Don't stand there gaping like a frog! Move!" Snapped the boy.

She scowled and stepped past him, dragging her trunk out of his reach, as she had no doubt that he would kick it, or at least trip her up. She hurried over to Lily's side, who was also glaring at the boy's retreating back. "I hope that not all upper years are that horrible…" mumbled Lily.

Bella shrugged. "Me to. I bet he was just not in a good mood today?"

" _How_ are you always so positive?" Lily yanked her trunk, seeming slightly annoyed. "Come on, let's find a compartment."

Bella followed the bright blue of Lily's dress, winding through the crowd. Bella wished that she had a few more pairs of eyes, as Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was almost as amazing as Diagon Alley. Students and parents pushed over loaded carts with cages and parcels balanced on top, owls hooted and swept from the high up rafters to open windows of the train, cats hissed and yowled from inside of carrying baskets, steam swirled around it all, confusing her eyes, and the bright red of the train itself seemed to seep into everything around it.

Lily halted up ahead, and pointed to an empty compartment right near the end of the train. They managed to yank their luggage to the open door of the compartment, and found themselves stuck - they couldn't lift their trunks high enough.

"Oh Merlin!" Exclaimed Lily. " How far away is your aunt? How long do you think it'll take for her to find us?"

"I dunno." Said Bella, squinting around through the crowd. "She said she'd find me and bring a few more of my things."

Lily hopped up the stairs into the compartment and once again pulled on her trunk. "Here! Push it up Belle! I think I've got it -"

Bella pushed, and Lily pulled the trunk, and the trunk thudded into the compartment. "Perfect!"

They managed to get Bella's trunk in the compartment and then completely gave up on getting either into the luggage rack, so they collapsed onto the seats on either side of the compartment.

Bella pulled off her robes, as she had on clothes under them and was feeling rather overheated, and kicked her feet up onto the space next to Lily.

Lily mirrored her, and they looked at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing.

Eventually, they stopped, clutching at their stomachs and wiping at their eyes.

Bella leaned her head back back and whispered, "We're going to Hogwarts, Lils. _Hogwarts_!"

"Hogwarts!" Agreed Lily.

Moments later, they both looked up as a familiar voice yelled, "Bella! Bella! Sabella Dagworth-Granger, where are you!"

Bella flushed slightly in embarrassment, then waved through the window at her aunt. "I'm here Auntie! We found a place to sit."

"Oh good. Did you manage your trunks? We forgot to put a Featherlight on them, didn't we…"

Lily smiled. "We got them in here, but now we can't get them into the luggage rack."

"Ah." Said Aunt Elena wisely.

She quickly made her way into their compartment, and levitated their trunks up into the rack.

"Now." Said Aunt Elena. "The train's about to leave, Grandmother is coming to say goodbye, and I just saw your parents, Lily. They're heading this way."

As she finished speaking, Lily's parents appeared, dragging her little brother, Charles. Lily went to say goodbye, and Bella turned to her Aunt.

"You'll be careful, won't you, Seal? I don't care what house you're in, just do your best, won't you?" Aunt Elena looked on the verge of tears. "I'm going to miss you, darling."

Bella wrapped her arms around her Aunt. "I'm gonna miss you too, Auntie."

Aunt Elena hugged her back, and Bella looked up at her face. "You'll write me every week?"

"Of course!"

"You promise?" Whispered Bella.

Aunt Elena crouched down so that they could see each other properly. "Yep. But you have to write me first to tell me about your sorting!"

Bella looked down. She didn't want to leave, now, when she could be with her Auntie, and her friends. "I'm really going to miss you. And the house, and my school, and Emily, and Peter, and the _lake_!"

"There's a lake at Hogwarts, you know."

Bella nodded.

"It's very big, and has lots of creatures living in it. Some people say there's a mermaid colony at the bottom. And, there's a huge squid, that comes out and basks in the sun! And _you_ -" Aunt Elena poked her in the chest, "get to explore it!"

Bella grinned shakely. "I'm scared. But I can't wait, at the same time. Y'know?"

Auntie nodded. "And don't you worry yourself about the sorting. I, unlike the rest of the family, have not placed a bet on which house you'll be in, because I know that you can be anything you put your mind to."

"Who's betting on me?" Demanded Bella.

Aunt Elena laughed. "There's the Bella I know! Now, why don't you give your Grandmuma a hug and say goodbye?"

Bella turned to find Grandmother a little ways away.

She ran to hug her grandmother, and received a fierce hug, and a kiss on each cheek. "Be good Sabella. We'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too!" Said Bella.

There was a loud clanging, making Bella jump, and then the train let out a loud whistle. "It's about to leave!" Exclaimed Lily, who was suddenly behind her.

Bella turned back once again and called, "Goodbye!"

Lily grabbed her hand and pulled her to the open compartment door. They stumbled up the steps and hurriedly closed the door, just as the train jerked forward. Bella lent out the window, and Lily followed, both waving wildly.

Lily's parents were waving, her mother was crying, and her brother was jogging to keep up with the train.

Aunt Elena had her arm around Grandmother, who was wiping at her eyes with a handkerchief, while Auntie smiled and waved at Bella.

Moments later, the train left the station completely, and the platform ended. The train turned, and Bella could no longer see her Aunt or Grandmother. She slowly pulled her head back into the compartment and sat down.

Lily was already sat down and was looking out the window thoughtfully. This was usual for her, bursts of energy and then quiet moments, so Bella let her be.

After a minute, Lily looked back at her. "So, what hou -"

Before Lily could finish, the door of their compartment slammed open and two identical girls burst in.

"Lily! And Bella! I haven't seen you in years!" Exclaimed one, dressed in pink and white.

Both Bella and Lily jumped up in welcome. Lily exclaimed, "Hullo Parvati, Padma! How are you?"

"Fantastic!" They said together.

Both girls had very straight noses, large black eyes, tan skin, wide smiles and waist-length straight black hair. Both wore pastel blouses with white skirts, but Parvati wore pink while Padma wore purple.

A round of hugging ensued, and then the twins settled in quickly.

In the next few minutes, Parvati and Lily managed to go full gossip, informing Padma and Bella about the latest everything, including but not limited to: Maxwell Madison (the handsome British national Seeker) and his latest affair, Harry Potter, a potential new anti-acne potion, the Weird Sisters' guitarist's brother and his wife, the Minister's latest bumble (letting the goblins have a large influence on the interest rate, which Bella had conflicting opinions on, due to the fact that her Aunt had explained how it benefited the economy) and most importantly, Harry Potter again.

According to Lily, Harry Potter was almost six feet tall, and was already a professional Quidditch player. According to Parvati, Harry Potter was tall, but not abnormally tall, and looked exactly like his father, who was very handsome. Based off the conflicting ideas, no one seemed to know exactly what Harry Potter looked like, except having black hair and green eyes, as he hadn't been seen since he was one, and was apparently being raised by relatives. Bella, who had actually seen a picture of James Potter, became the object of interest for a few minutes.

She did her best to explain that James Potter had been on good terms with her mother, and that there was a picture of her own heavily pregnant mother with James Potter at a cloudy beach that Bella didn't know the name of.

She told them that he was quite attractive and only average height, a few inches taller than her mother, and that he had a very nice smile.

When Lily saw that Bella had no more information and was feeling slightly alarmed, she quickly said, "What house do you all suppose you'll be in?"

Bella immediately relaxed and smiled at Lily.

"Oooh!" Exclaimed Parvati. "I'd love to be in Gryffindor! I want to be brave and daring… do you think I'm brave or daring at all?" She didn't pause for a response. "I think I'm brave. Once, I went up to a muggle police officer and asked for direction, without mother _or_ Padma." Parvati informed them. "And any how… Harry Potter will be Gryffindor!"

Padma hit her twin on the shoulder while Bella and Lily laughed. " _I'd_ like to be in Gryffindor as well, but I don't think I'm brave enough. I'm kind enough, so Hufflepuff, perhaps, but I'd like to work in the Ministry of Magical India, so I suppose I have ambition and therefore could be Slytherin… but really, I'd love to be a Ravenclaw." She made sweeping hand motions. "The house of the eagle! Creativity, wit and learning, _that's_ what's really important!"

Everyone laughed. "You are brave Padma! You could be in Gryffindor with Harry Potter!" Teased Bella.

Padma groaned. "Where do _you_ want to go?"

Bella frowned. That had been in the back of her mind since she had woken up that morning. "I dunno. Hufflepuff would be nice, and I'd love to be in Ravenclaw… but I don't think I'm good enough for any house."

Padma patted her arm. "Of course not Bella! You're so kind and caring, you'll easily be a Hufflepuff."

Parvati nodded from across the aisle and said, "Or you _could_ be a Ravenclaw, you're ever so creative and good at coming up with solutions!"

Bella smiled, and looked at Lily for her opinion.

Lily squinted at Bella, obviously thinking. "I don't know, to be honest Belle. You could be in any house! You're one of those people who once they really dedicate themselves to something, they can just become tangled up with it so much, it's odd. I think that's one of the reasons I'm friends with you."

Bella smiled softly, but the odd hollow feeling that had blossomed in her stomach in the morning remained.

Once again, the compartment was disturbed. "Padma! Parvati! Come out we need you!" A boy a year or two older than them who looked very similar to the twins was banging on the glass of the door.

Padma sighed, but Parvati jumped up. "It's a Patil thing, we've got to go!"

She grabbed her sister and flung open the door, to be dragged off by the boy whom Bella presumed was a cousin of theirs.

After a moment of silence, Lily said, "Well that was sudden."

And then they were both laughing again.

"Did - Did'ju see Padma's _face_?!" Spluttered Bella through her laughter.

They were still laughing a few minutes later when a smiling plump woman pushing a trolley appeared by the compartment door, which was still open. "Anything off the trolley, dears? It's taken me an awful long time to get all the way to the back of the train, and we won't be arriving for a while longer, it might be best to eat."

Lily looked at Bella. "All my pocket money is in my trunk, do have any?"

Bella nodded. She picked up her discarded robes and fished out a small purse with five galleons and a large handful of sickles, as well as her wand from the other pocket. "What do you want?" She asked Lily, while the trolley lady waited patiently.

Lily, looking for once, slightly uncertain, squinted at the list of sweets on the side of the trolley. "Could I have a Cauldron Cake? And - uh… four Chocolate Frogs, and a Liquorice Wand?"

The woman nodded. "That'll be four sickles and twenty-three knuts. Anything for you dear?" She said to Bella.

"Ah… how about a pack of Drooble's, two more Chocolate Frogs, and some Bertie Bott's? And a Pumpkin Pastie!"

Without Aunt Elena there, Bella didn't feel as bad getting so many sweets, so she handed over the total seven sickles and eleven knuts only slightly grudgingly.

Once she had tossed Lily her sweets and they were both munching happily on Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties respectively, they turned to back to their interrupted conversation: Hogwarts Houses.

"What about you? Where do you suppose you'll end up?" Bella asked.

Lily was breaking off pieces of the cauldron-shaped chocolate outside to reveal the gooey ginger spice cake inside. "I don't know, honestly. Gryffindor would be amazing, but I don't think I'm very Gryffindor-y at all. I don't really want to be in Hufflepuff, because Charles would laugh at me, and my family is to half blooded to go to Slytherin, not that that's a defining part of Slytherin, but my family is rather half and muggleborn all the way back, so I think my best option is Ravenclaw."

Bella nodded. Her friend loved to read, and loved learning, even if sometimes that meant learning the latest news, and she was generally good at most things. "That fits, I suppose. I do hope we're in the same house." Bella frowned. "I don't think that it's possible for me to go anywhere apart from Hufflepuff -" Lily raised her eyebrows. "Not that I dislike that, it just, well…"

"Hufflepuff." Lily said, sounding slightly bored. "You know you can do better than that Bella. You'll probably be in Ravenclaw, and then we'll be together!"

Bella sighed. "To be honest, I want to be in Hufflepuff. It seems the easiest."

Lily crossed her arms, now finished with her Cauldron Cake. "Easiest isn't always best, you know."

They were quiet for a spell, staring out the window at the rolling hills and occasional lochs speeding past. They were halfway through there sweets and had just begun to wonder at what the classes would be like, when a girl already wearing her robes opened the compartment door. She bore a resemblance to someone Bella knew, but couldn't place, and had wildly curly hair, light brown skin, a button nose and rather large front teeth, apart from a rather aloof air about her. "Has either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one, and I'm quite close to giving up on finding it." She did in fact have a rather bossy voice about her, and Bella couldn't help being slightly annoyed by her.

"Oh, Neville." Said Bella, as she remembered the plump boy's tendency to lose nearly everything he touched. "He'll find that toad eventually, or someone will find it for him."

"Are you friends with him then?" Said the girl with some envy.

Bella glanced at Lily, and they both smiled. "Ah… not exactly. Our grandmothers know each other."

The girl nodded primmly, and put her hand on her hip. "You're first years too then? So am I. My name's Hermione. Hermione Granger."

Bella frowned. She hoped with all her might that she wasn't related to this bossy girl. "Really? Are you by any chance muggleborn?" She inquired hopefully.

"Yes I am! Mum and Dad were so very happy at the news! Are you?" Hermione clapped her hands, her voice slightly less annoying in excitement.

"No." Bella said, rather sharply, it wasn't as if there was anything wrong with being muggleborn, it was just… she wasn't. "I'm halfblooded. I was just wondering because I'm a Dagworth-Granger, and I thought we might be related. I'm Sabella Dagworth-Granger, by the way."

Lily smiled awkwardly. "I'm Lily Moon. Nice to meet you."

The girl looked strangely disappointed. "Well, it's nice to meet you too. You ought to change into your school robes. We'll be arriving soon."

She spun around and exited the compartment with a swish of her wild hair.

Lily stared at Bella with a face that clearly said ' _what was that?'_ , and Bella burst out laughing. "I suppose we ought to get dressed, then." Muttered Lily.

Lily climbed up onto the seat, and opened her trunk to extract her robes, and tossed them down before retrieving Bella's as well. They pulled down the shades of the windows to the corridor and window, and changed quickly.

It seemed they had changed just in time, as the now darkening landscape outside was slowing down. They sat for a while longer, still nervously discussing what Hogwarts would be like, as the train became progressively slower, until it came to a screeching halt that nearly unseated them both. Outside the window, lanterns lit a well worn station that was already beginning to fill with students who had known when to get off before the crowd.

A prim echoing voice, quite like the ones over the Underground, told them to leave their luggage in the compartment and to exit the train carefully. They battled their way down the corridor, Lily holding tightly to the back of Bella's robes, so as not to be seperated. They finally managed to get off the train, and slip out of the crowd before hearing, "Firs' years! Firs' year over 'ere!" The booming voice came from a gigantic man standing on the far side of the platform.

They followed his swinging lantern and huge voice to a crowd of first years gathered round him.

"That's everyone? Come on, follow me. Mind yer step now."

Bella and Lily followed the group down a dark and narrow path, slipping and grabbing each other the whole way.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sigh o' Hogwarts` in a sec." The huge man called over his shoulder. "Jus' round this bend here."

Bella gasped and there were many 'oooh's and 'ahhh's.

The narrow path had opened onto the edge of a great dark lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side stood a vast castle. Hogwarts was truly magnificent. Twisting spires, towers, ramparts and stairways, the castle seemed to be woven from itself. Lights twinkled from far away towers and high up windows, but a warm glow came from a large cathedral-like hall that extended from the castle. It seemed that was where the rest of the students where.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Called their guide.

Lily led the way to a sail-less boat sitting by the shore. They got in, and were followed by two other girls, one whose hair dark hair fell to her shoulders, and the other whose hair was even lighter than Lily's.

"Everyone in?" Shouted the man, who was filling an entire boat himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

The little fleet of sail-less boats began to move all at once, disturbing the surface of the beautifully calm lake. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle. The mountain-perched castle stared at them as they approached, slipping under its shadow. "Heads down!" Shouted the man, startling Bella from her trance. She looked around then ducked before the low ceiling of the underground boathouse slammed into her. The roof eventually rose and the children looked around to gasp again. The ceiling was covered in stalactites and, from the looks of it, quartz, as it sparkled white and silvery. The little boats continued through the small cavern to dock as a group against a small rock pier.

As the everyone clambered out, Hagrid said loudly, "Oy, you there! Is this your toad?"

"Trevor!" Cried Neville, diving forward to catch his frog.

Then, the giant man led the way up a narrow stone passage, ending on a patch of grass in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a wide stone stairway to a pair of gargantuan oak doors. The children crowded up around Hagrid, who raised a huge, trash bin sized fist to knock once on the door.

 **So. Thats a chapter.**

 **I hope to finish the next one slightly more quickly, as I already know what will happen.**

 **Plz comment, I really want to know where I messed up and how to fix it, so plz tell me.**

 **bye!**


	5. The Sorting

**Yep I'm back, slightly quicker than last time, with a longer chapter I think?**

 **So ANYWAYS! As a general principle, I will be writing based on the books, but I sometimes I will use movie scenes simply because it's better for the plot. Overview: Bella is sorted, she's surprised, fun happens!**

 **Don't own HP (unfortunately).**

The doors swung inward almost instantaneously. In the doorway stood a severe-looking witch, tall, with emerald green robes and black hair pulled back into an immaculate bun.

"The firs' year Professor McGonagall." Said their huge guide.

"Thank you Hagrid. I will take them from here." She responded sharply.

She pulled the doors open wider, to reveal a great entrance hall that was a few times the size of Bella's home.

Professor McGonagall led them past another set of doors through which the sound of many voices issued. The group of nervous first years was led to a little antichamber of sorts, with a large stairway that the group filled, that lead to the main hall. McGonagall began what, Bella supposed, was her annual speech.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each and everyone of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

She glanced around at people that seemed to offend her rule of neatness.

"I shall return when we are ready for you." She added. "Please wait quietly."

Almost the moment that McGonagall had disappeared, a boy with white-blond hair, pale skin, and a straight nose at the top of the stairs stepped into the center of the entrance, facing a boy whose wild black hair was facing Bella.

"So." Said the white haired boy loudly. "What they say is true. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Bella and Lily both gasped. They turned to each other and Lily mouthed, "That's him! That's Harry Potter!"

Bella nodded furiously while shushing her friend, and they both turned back to see what would happen.

The white haired boy was talking again. He had a rather posh, arrogant voice that rang in the chamber. "This is Crabbe, and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

There was a loud snort from beside Harry Potter, and the blond boy turned to a red haired boy. "Think my name's funny, do you?" He snapped. "No need to ask yours. Red hair, hand-me-down robes. You must be a Weasley."

Even from the back of the crowd, Bella could see the red haired boy's ears turn red, confirming the other boy's statement.

The blond boy, Malfoy, turned back to Harry Potter. "You'll soon find out that some wizard of families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." He glared at the Weasley boy.

"I can help you there." He stuck out his right hand to Harry Potter.

For the first time, the black haired boy spoke. "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks."

Draco Malfoy flushed a rather ugly red. He snapped his hand back to his side and glared at Harry and his friend, before pushing his way past and shoving his way to the back of the crowd, a few feet from Bella, followed by the large boys called Crabbe and Goyle.

Bella and Lily both edged away from the fuming boys.

There was a rather long minute of awkward silence before several people screamed. Bella jumped, then gasped. So did the people around them. Of course she had heard about ghosts, but she hadn't really thought about it. But now, there were about twenty ghosts, streaming through the far wall. Pearly-white and transparent, the ghosts gave off a soft blue glow as they glided across the room, completely oblivious to the first years who were frozen in shock. They seemed to be arguing about someone, or something, called Peeves.

Suddenly a ghost wearing a ruff around his neck and a pair of rather ridiculous striped tights noticed them. "I say, what are you all doing here?"

None of the students answered.

"New students!" Exclaimed a fat, old, monk-like ghost. "About to be Sorted, I dare say! Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my old house, you know."

A few people nodded, still unspeaking.

"Move along now." Said a sharp voice. "The Sorting's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned.

Nodding absentmindedly, the ghosts proceed to float through the opposite wall.

"Form a line now." Commanded McGonagall.

Bella ended up at the back of the line, behind Lily, while Malfoy and his friends pushed their way to the front.

The Great Hall was just as magnificent and strange as the outside of Hogwarts. It was just as cathedral like as it had seemed from the outside as well. Candles, thousands of them, floated in the air, giving off a warm glow along with the torches along the walls. Soaring windows rose up from behind the teachers' table, some panes full of stained glass, or some, seemed to be full of sea glass, while still others were made of a blue mirror like glass. Four, long, dark oak tables ran down the Hall lengthwise. On the tables rested plates, bowls, goblets, and utensils made of an assortment of silver and gold. The hundreds of students at the tables perfected the image. Corresponding to each table sat older witches and wizards, tall, black hats on their heads and, embroidered on their black robes where the crest and colour of their House.

The students at the tables turned to look at the first years. Professor McGonagall led them up an aisle between the tables, toward the teachers. There, on a stool, sat a weathered and beaten hat. They gathered around the stool and the other students looked expectantly at the hat. After a moment, a seam in the hat burst open and strangely, began to sing;

" _Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

 _But don't judge on what you see,_

 _I'll eat myself if you can find_

 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_

 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_

 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing in your head_

 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_

 _So try me on and I will tell you_

 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave in heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve and chivalry_

 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff_

 _Where they are just and loyal,_

 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

 _If you've a ready mind,_

 _Where those of wit and learning,_

 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_

 _You'll make your real friends,_

 _Those cunning folk use any means_

 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

 _And don't get in a flap!_

 _You're safe in my hands (though I have none)_

 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The entire hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. The hat bowed to each of the four tables then became still once more. Bella laughed. She hadn't really known what to expect to be sorted by, as no one had told her, and she had become slightly worried that it was a test of some sort. To her surprise, it was a hat.

Professor McGonagall began to call out names of the first years;

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A small, pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled forward to place the hat on her head. After a moment the hat bellowed -

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on Bella's right cheered and Hannah went to sit there.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Called the hat again.

"Boot, Terry!" Became the first -

"RAVENCLAW!"

The second table from Bella's left clapped and cheered for Terry.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw as well, then "Brown, Lavender" became the first Gryffindor.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" was the first Slytherin.

"Dagworth-Granger, Sabella!" Called McGonagall

How had it happened that fast? It couldn't possibly be her turn already. Bella found that she was trembling.

Lily nudged her forward gently, and Bella began to weave through the crowd of other first years. She managed to walk up the steps to the raised teachers' area, and sit upon the stool. Bella saw the watching eyes of the hall for barely a second before Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head and it slipped over her eyes.

'Hellooo!' Said a small, scratchy voice in her ear. 'Oooh, you're the most difficult so far… Empathy, that's a rare one, and such loyalty! You would go to the ends of the earth to keep a chosen few safe… and goodness me! Such potential! But what house?'

Bella bit her lip hard enough to feel salt wash over her tongue. 'Can you put me anywhere? I'm not very cunning, not very brave, not especially hardworking, and not smart either -'

The hat scoffed. 'On the contrary, dear. You have quite the potential to become cunning… so you _could_ be a Slytherin, you are courageous… in the right circumstance, you have yet to find your passion, so you know nothing of hard work, and you are quite potentially astute.'

'But none of those things are _now_!' Thought Bella forcefully. 'It doesn't matter what I might be, it matters what I _am_!'

'With me, the _only_ thing that matters is the future. I will sort you to the house that can make the best of you, and you, my dear have a bucket load of ambition. It's buried deep down, but burning at true bottom of your mind is a desire to change the world, for the better. I can see everything you know…'

'Bu -'

'You are rather argumentative when talking to a hat! The best place for you, dearie, is…' "SLYTHERIN!"

Bella's mouth fell open.

 _How?_

The green-clad table was clapping and Bella slowly found her feet. She made her way down the steps slowly, barely aware of McGonagall calling, "Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

And then, "Finnigan, Seamus!"

She managed to find her way to the Slytherin table and sit on the very end of the bench, closest to the teachers and focus her eyes on the sorting. Her mind ran wild as she watched the other children. How could she be a Slytherin? She wasn't cunning or smart, she wasn't witty or sharp, and she wasn't even fully human, for Merlin's sake! What Bella really wanted to do was jump into the lake, feel the cool water swirling past her and blocking out the noise, but -

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione ran up to the stool eagerly. The hat took a while with her as well, then yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

A few more names were called before,

"Longbottom, Neville!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A slight surprise, Bella had assumed Neville would go to Hufflepuff.

"MacDougal, Morag!"

Draco Malfoy swaggered up to the stool when he was called. The hat didn't touch his platinum blond head before it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Then, "Moon, Lily!"

A minute, and then - "RAVENCLAW!"

Bella clapped loudly. Even if she wasn't where she was supposed to be, at least her friend was.

There weren't many people left now.

"Nott" and "Parkinson" both went to Slytherin then, "Patil, Padma" went to Ravenclaw while "Patil, Parvati" went to Gryffindor. And then "Perks, Sally-Anne"...and, "Potter, Harry!"

Harry Potter stepped forward to whispers and rustling from the students.

" _Potter_ she said?"

"- the Harry Potter?"

Harry sat down and Professor McGonagall plopped the hat on his head. After a moment or two, the hat opened and yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

This was met by the loudest cheers yet, and a pair of red headed twins were yelling "We got Po-tter! We got Po-tter!"

Bella clapped absentmindedly, still dreaming of swimming away.

Few people had yet to be Sorted. "Thomas, Dean" went to Gryffindor, "Turpin, Lisa" to Ravenclaw, the "Weasley, Ron", Harry Potter's friend, went to Gryffindor to sit by the Boy-Who-Lived himself.

"Zabini, Blaise" joined the Slytherins and ended the Sorting.

The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, who Harry had only seen on a Chocolate Frog card, had gotten up. He smiled widely at all the students with his arms open wide, as though expecting a hug.

"Welcome!" He said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down in his tall, throne-like chair. Everyone clapped or cheered.

Bella turned inward, to face the table and turned toward the table. Her mouth fell open once again, this time in more pleasant surprise.

The tables were covered in every food imaginable, roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatos, mashed potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, pasta, rice, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and for some reason, known to no one, peppermint humbugs. There was also, to Bella's delight, a huge platter of beautifully cooked and arranged cod fish. She piled a large bit of fish onto her plate and began to eat.

The other first year Slytherins had filled the end of the table so that both next to and across from her sat people. Bella didn't dare talk, in fact, she didn't say anything until she was halfway through her fish.

"Is that all you're going to eat?" Said a voice from next to her.

Bella looked up, and found that it was the dark haired girl from the lake crossing.

"Oh- ah… I suppose. That's all I'm in the mood for, at the moment…" Bella said quietly.

"The Yorkshire pudding is quite good, if you'd like some." Said the girl. She had a turnt up nose, wide dark eyes, and straight brown hair. "I'm Daphne Greengrass, and this is Tracey Davies." She pointed to the girl on her other side, the one with light hair.

Bella smiled awkwardly. "I'm Sabella Dagworth-Granger, pleased to meet you."

"Nice to meet you to." Said Tracey, leaning on the table to see her.

"Tracey and I were just wondering at what the classes would be like." Daphne spoke while carefully spooning peas onto her plate. "We're supposed to have Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy, Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Potions, which I'm looking forward to."

Bella nodded. "I'm not sure what I'm looking forward to the most, but I tried a few charms and potions once I got my books."

Tracey said, 'So did we. I'm glad I'm a Slytherin because our head of house is Professor Snapeand he's rather nasty to anyone not in Slytherin."

"Oh… that's good then." Murmured Bella.

"Weren't expecting Slytherin, were you?" It was a boy across the table with sandy brown hair and light eyes.

Bella hesitated. "Well, no… I was hoping for Hufflepuff actually."

The boy snorted. "You can obviously do better than that then. I'm Theodore Nott, by the way."

"Sabella." She said automatically.

His words reminded her of what Lily had said, and she looked around, craning her neck to see Lily at the Ravenclaw table. Bella bobbed back and forth slightly until Lily noticed her, then waved.

Lily waved back and gave a thumbs up.

Bella grinned slightly. She looked back downtown find that the platters of food had been replaced.

Dessert consisted of blocks of ice-cream in every flavor you could think of (including basil), apple pies and tarts, treacle tarts, chocolat éclairs, jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding, and chocolate cake.

Bella helped herself to apple pie and continued to look around. It seemed, that the Slytherin Prefects were evenly placed along the table, while the rest of where people were depended on age. Most first and second years sat near the head table, third years sat a little further down, and forth years and fifth years in the middle. At the end, farthest away from the teachers, the sixth and seventh years jeered and laughed and generally made a hubb-bubb.

Across from her, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott and a boy with dark skin and high cheekbones were discussing Quidditch, with another boy calling out thoughts from further down the table. Bella looked past Tracey to find a familiar face: Pansy Parkinson, a girl whom Bella had know for years through Aunt Elena. Pansy and another girl where whispering excitedly about something that caused them both to squeal every now and then. Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass had gone back to talking about their classes, while a large girl with mousy brown hair was still eating second helpings.

Bella was content to sit quietly.

When the rest of the desserts had disappeared as, which a few people seemed disappointed at, Professor Dumbledore stood once again. The hall fell quiet.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start of term announcements to tell you.

"First years should note the forest on the grounds is called the Forbidden Forest for obvious reasons. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's eyes fell on the redheaded Gryffindor twins, who Bella concluded must be the pranksters of their year, or maybe of the school.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house team should contact Madame Hooch and their house Quidditch Captain.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Bella gazed at the headmaster in awe and slight terror.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore proclaimed, with a flick if his wand and a gold ribbon flew out of it, twisting itself to form words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

The entire hall began to bellow;

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

 _Teach us something please,_

 _Whether we be old and bald,_

 _Or young with scabby knees,_

 _Our heads could do with filling_

 _With some interesting stuff,_

 _For nos they're bare and full of air,_

 _Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

 _So teach us things worth knowing,_

 _Bring back what we've forgot,_

 _Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

 _And learn until our brains all rot!"_

Everyone finished the song at separate times, so Dumbledore was left conducting the redhead twins in a funeral dirge.

Dumbledore wiped away a tear and said, "Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Slytherin first years were lead through the masses by two Prefects called Gemma Farley and Michael Roden. They walked out of the Great Hall and turned right, down a corridor, and round a bend. Behind a tapestry, a long, spiral staircase led downwards to the "Slytherin part of the dungeons" as Farley put it.

They walked passed large rooms and dungeons, down wide corridors and thin, until they came to a stretch of wall that seemed like a dead end. Farley turned to the first years. "This is the entrance to the Slytherin common room and dormitories. The password changes every week on Sunday. Be sure to check the notice board. Never tell anyone of another house where or how to enter the common room. Never betray Slytherin secrets." Farley turned back to the wall. "The password is currently 'Venibactum' and will be for the rest of the week."

When she said 'Venibactum', the huge stone bricks began to twist and move, quite like the entrance to Diagon Alley. The Prefects stepped into the passage that the wall had concealed. The first years followed, down a short, narrow passageway, eager to see their new common room.

The common room was decidedly less green than Bella had expected. It was quite large, and seemed to be hexagonal. On the left from the entrance, a large fire roared, casting golden flickering onto the black wood floors. Above the fireplace was a portrait of a tall, thin man, with black hair and a beard. Around the man's arm, a corn snake was coiled, its head bobbing from side to side slowly.

The floor was covered in places by large, soft Persian rugs. On either side of the fireplace, tall bookshelves reached up to the high ceiling. A few yards in front of the fireplace, the floor was deeper and ringed by a soft grey couch, giving enough room for about thirty people. A few poofs and foot-rests were scattered around it to offer more seats.

Rimming the room, about fifteen feet up was a loft like balcony full of armchairs and books with lanterns perched at intervals along it.

To the right from the entrance, a round fountain played, water spewing out of a column in the center. The middle of the fountain glowed, giving the area around it a blueish, watery glow.

Past the fountain, more bookshelves framed a doorway, on either side of which stood two beautiful billiard tables. Through the doorway, a plush, forest green carpet covered the floor, and the walls were made of glass in a large bubble over the room, which looked out onto -

"Is that the Lake?!" Asked Pansy.

"Yes." Replied Roden. "I'll show you around while we wait for Professor Snape. This -" He pointed at the lowered couches. "Is the disgustion pit. Most of the time, its just for the sixth and seventh years, except for when there is a house issue." He paused and pointed to the bubbling fountain. "That is the Fountain of Taste. If you have a goblet or a cup, you can get drinking water from there. Don't you _dare_ put your hands in the water."

"Passed the fountain is the Sunroom. Or at least, that's what we call it. As Miss Parkinson so obviously pointed out, it is under the Lake. You lot can do your homework there or in the loft. _Don't_ bother the mermaids if they come around." Roden gestured at the double doors.

The first years looked at each other, confused and slightly excited at the mention of mermaids.

Roden was now pointing to a stairway directly across from the entrance. "That is the Prefects' Hall and the seventh year dorms. Don't bother going up there unless you're a Prefect or in your seventh year. You'll get thrown out. Literally." He paused to glower at them.

"Those are the girls' dorms," He pointed to the doorway on the right side of the Sunroom. "And those are the boys'." He pointed to another doorway on the other side.

He glared at them again. " _Don't_ go into a dorm the isn't yours. You will most likely end up in the infirmary."

The boys in front of Bella glanced at each other and smirked.

Farley looked at an old grandfather clock that seemed not only tell the time, but the month, the year, the moon cycle, and the tide of the Lake. She said, "Snape should be here at ten o'clock."

They only had a moment to take in the common room before the clock struck ten and Professor Snape billowed in through the corridor. Bella immediately thought of a rather large bat, swooping down the passage. The man cast his eyes around disapprovingly. He pulled out his wand and flicked it dramatically, causing a loud chiming to fill the room.

After a moment, there was a rumbling and the upper years began to stream down from their dorms. They filled in the common room, all facing Snape, who was standing at the top of the entrance steps.

"Welcome. Welcome back to others. As some of you already know, Slytherin is now your family for the rest of your Hogwarts career." Snape sneered at that. "If you have a quarrel with a fellow housemate, the argument _stays within this room_." Snape stopped and glared around at them.

"The other houses discriminate against us. Slytherin stands as one, outside this room, to face them.

"I have become accustomed to seeing the House Cup in my office. See that it _stays that way_. Do not lose unnecessary points.

"Another rule; do _not_ disturb me unless someone is dying, injured or something is on fire.

"I presume one of the Prefects has already told the first years not to disturb the mermaids or Giant Squid. Any sea life really.

"Schedules will be distributed tomorrow at breakfast." Snape nodded curtly, then turned around and swept away.

The upper years immediately turned and went back to their dorms. The Prefect, Gemma Farley, called for the first year girls to follow her, while the boys followed Michael Roden the other way. They walked up a short flight of stone steps and stepped into a big room with two corridors branching out on a diagonal. There was a chandelier in the middle, and a handful of beautiful cream armchairs, as well as another lit fireplace.

Farley pointed to the right corridor and said, "Years one through three are down there, and four through six non-prefects are down the other one. Follow me."

She led the way down the corridor, which had tall windows that looked into the lake, and to the second door on the left. Into their new dorm they went.

It was nice looking, with a long, plush white rug that ran down the room. On the right and left sides, three four-poster beds with green hangings sat in a other girls found their belongings at the end of the beds, but Bella saw her trunk next to an alcove directly across from the door. She walked to her bed and sat down. She felt strangely calm, and it took her a moment to remember that she was technically under water. Bella looked behind her to see her bed nook. It was cozy, but slightly isolating, as the curtains were simply attached to the wall, and the bed was built into a large nook in the said wall. There was a little window that looked into the lake, and Bella almost cried with relief as she leaned against it. She absently wondered if the teachers knew about her mother, and if they had put her bed here because of that. The bedding was very warm, as the dungeons were quite cold, and there was a warm grey duvea, a blue-green quilt at the end of the bed, and a white throw in the corner.

Bella looked at the rest of the girls, most of whom were chattering while unpacking their things into the desks next to each bed, and decided to do the same. The rest of the beds had their owner's trunk at the foot, and a desk next to it. For Bella, her trunk was carefully placed next to the end of the nook, and her desk was too. She carefully climbed out, reluctant to leave the window, and began to unpack her things onto the desk. Her inkwell, her quills, her stationary, and her pictures. She decided to keep her jewelry box in her nook, on the shelf set in the wall at the end of the bed.

Of all her jewelry, there was one she would never take off; a round bronze locket, with intricate designs covering the surface like waves. Inside was her entity, her soul. Inside was her Cloak. It was folded again and again until it was the size of a sickle, and tucked into her mother's locket. Next to the locket, her mother's wedding ring hung, both of them inches from her heart.

Bella finished unpacking her things apart from clothes and found herself being called to by Pansy. Bella had never really liked Pansy, but she didn't dislike her either, and just hoped to never be on the opposite side from her in an argument.

"Sabella! Come over!" Called Pansy from where she was perched on her trunk in the middle of the room, and the other girls either sat on their beds or the rug around her.

Bella sat on the rug next to Tracey.

"I think we all ought to tell our names, and about ourselves, just to get to know each other." Suggested Daphne from beside Tracey.

The other girls agreed and Daphne began. "I'm Daphne Greengrass," She said properly. "I have a little sister named Astoria, and my older sister, Elenora, is a seventh year. And, um, my father works for the Ministry while my mother is a Charms Mistress."

She turned and looked at Tracey. "Hello! I'm Tracey Davies." Said the girl. "I'm a halfblood, my mum is a tutor, and my father works for the Ministry. I have a few cousins who go here."

Tracey nodded kindly at Bella, who spoke quietly in turn. "My name's Bella - Sabella Dagworth-Granger. I live with my Auntie, who works as a Warder at Gringotts."

"Is that it?" Said a girl with wavy black hair sitting on her bed.

Bella flushed. "I have a cousin named Liam, in his third year, and a little cousin called Fable."

The black haired girl told them that she was Rachel Avery, and that she lived with her mother and little brother.

Next went a girl with hundreds of little braids in her hair and warm brown skin, whose name was Vera Knighton. Her mother and father both worked for the Ministry and she was a only child.

Lastly, there was the large brown haired girl named Millicent Bulstrode.

The rest of the girls continued to talk while Bella tuned out. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed again, and her skin was itching, a sure sign that she needed to get out. "I think I'll take a bath before bed." She announced.

To her surprise, Tracey responded, telling her that the baths were at the end of the corridor, but there were also a few toilets nearby.

So, Bella gathered her pyjamas and walked down to corridor to a door that many people were coming and going through, and barely managed to dodge an older girl before entering. To her surprise, it was quite like how she had imagined a muggle boarding school. Girls brushing their teeth and chasing each other, brushing hair and yelling, all along a long room, on one side lined with sinks and towel racks, and on the other lined with doors that led to individual rooms.

Bella found an empty bathroom at the end of the room, slipped in and locked to door. It was a huge bath, as large as a bed, and just as deep. There were a great number of silver taps, which Bella fiddled with until she found one that had some sort of bath salt in it. She let it run until the tub was full, and stepped into the warm water.

The tension left her shoulders, and she lay down under the water immediately. Bella took a breath then slipped all the way under water to think.

 _How am I a Slytherin?_ She wondered again.

 _I need to talk to Auntie…. but what will Auntie think? Will she hate me now? I should talk to Lily first, then Emily… but it'll take a while for Em to respond…. oh Merlin! Why couldn't I just be in Hufflepuff?_

Bella opened her eyes and looked at the sides of the bath, before looking back up at the surface of the water. She blew a bubble and watched it spiral up and pop at the surface.

Bella lay in the bath for almost a half hour before resolving to write to Aunt Elena, and asking one of the Prefects how to send it considering that she didn't have an owl.

Reluctantly, she left the bath and dried off with the towels hanging on the wall. The bath automatically drained itself while Bella pulled on her pyjamas and toweled off her hair.

There was much less people in the washroom and corridor, so Bella easily made her way to her dorm, and then to her desk. Quickly, she penned the letter she had rehearsed over and over in her head.

 _Dear Auntie,_

 _You said to owl you about the sorting, and so: I am writing this from the Slytherin dorms. I'm surprised, and rather scared, and I don't know what to do. Can you ask Uncle James to owl me? I'd like to talk to him, and I can't remember their address._

 _The sorting hat told me that it sorts people based on what they can be, not what they are, which doesn't seem very smart. It said that I had the potential, and the way to it was through Slytherin._

 _I just want to be in Hufflepuff._

 _Please write back soon._

 _I expect a few people might be losing a galleon or two._

 _Sabella Dagworth-Granger_

She rolled up the parchment and carefully sealed it, then walked back down the hall to find a Prefect, or just a kind looking upper year. Eventually she spotted the male prefect talking, or actually, arguing, with a girl at the bottom of the stairs to the boys' dorms.

"- no! That entirely unreasonable, Michael! You know that's not what I meant, and you're just making - what do you want?" The girl snapped at Bella, who was waiting awkwardly behind her.

"I- I just needed to talk to a prefect, I'm sorry…" Bella replied, but the girl was already stomping past her.

The boy called Michael leaned against the wall and said, with a recognizable London accent, "Oh, Merlin. She is a monstrosity. What do you want help with, Dagworth? I can't come up those stairs, so you had better come down."

It took Bella a moment to realize that he had addressed her as 'Dagworth'. She had never been called that before. "Um… I wanted to owl my aunt… but I don't have an owl, and I-"

"Ah. The way that other students send mail is by borrowing a school owl, but considering the Owlery is at the top of a tower, and as we're rather far down, we have a system." He gestured for her to follow him, and Bella hesitantly walked down the stairs and across the common room to the fireplace with him. "If you need to send mail, or mail comes in for someone at a late time, we use the mail slot." He pointed at a small slot, just like a muggle mail flap, next to the huge mantel piece. "Believe it or not, we're right under the Owlery, and this will send it right up."

Bella edged around him and slipped her letter in and heard a _whoosh_ , and the letter was gone.

"Thank you." Said Bella quietly.

"No problems. I owe you one for getting me out of Delilah's clutches." He grinned. "You ought to be off to bed, Dagworth, it's almost ten."

Bella nodded timidly, then turned and headed back to her dorm.

"Oh, and Dagworth! Many happy returns to your uncle, from Michael and Olivia!" The prefect called.

Bella stopped, with her foot on the first step. How on earth had he known her uncle's birthday was the next day?

A bead of water slipping down her back from her hair, and she felt the familiar comfort of water, mixed with an odd chilling sensation slipping down her back. She bounded up the steps, eager to get to bed, and away from the older Slytherins, who all seemed to be looking at her.

Bella managed to get to her dorm mostly unnoticed, and slipped past Pansy, Vera and Rachel, who were talking and giggling excitedly by the door, and past Tracey and Daphne, who were whispering on Tracey's bed.

She sat on her bed and yanked her curtains closed. Her hands were trembling and eyes were watering; if only she were in Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw with Lily, it would be _her_ out there, giggling and talking. Eventually, Bella slipped under the covers and pressed her back against the window. She clutched at her locket, letting the warmth seep into her fingers. The bed still seemed huge and empty, even with the large blankets and pillows; even though the bed was amazing, Bella couldn't settle. Slowly, she drifted off, trapped in a place she didn't want to be.

 **Well, thats a wrap! (Is that what people actually say? I've never heard someone say that) How did you like it? Was it fabulous? Horrendous? Boring? Anyhoo, thanks for reading, I'll be back, and I promise. The plot will thicken.**

 **-Lyra**


	6. Letters and Lessons

Hello! I'm back with a slightly disappointing filler chapter, but don't worry, we meet the seal of Bella's Selkie form!

I don't own HP, but Bella and family are mine, as well as a few OCs. K, lets start!

Also I'm sorry about the formating it won't let me edit at the moment.

The next morning, Bella woke slowly, feeling as though she were being dragged from her sleep. For just a moment, she forgot where she was, but in barely a second she was aware of the differences. The dorm smelled of water and stone, the bed was much softer than her normal one, and she could feel the ebb and flow of the lake, against her back, calling to her.

Bella was a very light sleeper, so she supposed that one of the other girls had gotten up and disturbed her. Her body ached, and she didn't want to move, so she lay in the bed, staring at the warm green curtain. Eventually, when she heard more of the girls stirring, she sat up and slipped out. When she went to her trunk, she found a silver and green tie lying on top, and once she had put it on with the rest of her uniform, she found that the robe had a matching badge attached as well. As the other girls were still barely awake, Bella sat back on her bed, looking out into the lake while twirling her hair unskillfully into a bun. The lake was very different in light than dark. Now, instead of the strange, dark shapes shifting around in a alien world, the greenish water was full of light. Rays of sunlight shone from where Bella guessed was east, and tiny silver fish darted about, while seaweed danced around the edge of her window, and swayed in fields as far as one could see. The dungeons were obviously built on the bottom of the shallow part of the lake, as the ground dropped away and rocks loomed awkwardly in the far distance.

"You're awake too?" Bella started, and looked around to see Tracey standing in the doorway across the room with still wet hair.

Bella nodded.

"The lake's pretty wicked looking in the day, isn't it?" Said Tracey, indicating one of the other windows in between beds.

Bella nodded again. "Yeah. The fish look nice." And tasty. She thought.

Tracey was packing away her pyjamas and pulling on her robes over her uniform before she spoke again. "Do you want to go down to the common room now? You look about ready." At Bella's shrug, she continued, "Pansy won't get up until she's being pulled from her bed and Daph normally wakes up later, so they'll be a while."

"I'll come." She said.

Bella stood up and stretched, then packed all the required textbooks into a messenger bag and followed Tracey out of the dorm.

The corridor was almost empty, except for handfuls of older years with bleary eyes and messy hair, so Bella followed Tracey quietly down to the common room. The room seemed even bigger with the ceiling high windows letting in more light, and the loft making the place seem even taller. The fire was still burning in the huge grate, and the fountain still played in the middle of the room, but Bella could now see that the bookshelves held not only books, but bottles and ancient pots, paintings, sculptures and busts, and even farther up, many, many trophies.

Tracey caught her attention and pointed to couple of boys from their year, lounging around in armchairs by the door, obviously waiting to go to breakfast. "Do you want to sit by them? I know most of them, that's Theo, there's Blaise Zabini, and I think the other one is Draco Malfoy. I've never met him, but I've heard of him, of course, he's the heir of the most influential family ever!"

Bella felt a pool of dread swirling in her stomach. While she was from a pureblooded family on her father's side, she was still a halfblood, as her mother wasn't exactly human. When she was little, still living with her mother and father, she had played with pureblooded children, but she only partially remembered that, as the majority of her life had been spent in the company of muggles at her school, the Merkels, or Lily, who was a far cry from a tradition pureblood. Bella could interact with Pansy, Tracey and Daphne, as well as the other girls in her dorm, but boys? That was another thing entirely.

To her misfortune, Tracey had taken her silence as a 'yes', and begun to pull her over to the boys.

"Davis!" Exclaimed a dark skinned boy with close-cut hair and high cheekbones. "Haven't seen you in a while!" He had a nonchalant way of talking and a slight accent that Bella couldn't place.

"Hullo, Zabini, Theo." Said Tracey, nodding at a tall and thin boy as well.

Tracey turned to the third boy, who's pale features and white blond hair identified him as the boy who had so rudely confronted Harry Potter. "We haven't been introduced. I'm Tracey Davies."

Her tone was different when she spoke to this boy, and she looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Draco Malfoy." He drawled. "Pleasure."

Tracey smiled at him, then turned to Bella and raised her eyebrows, obviously waiting an introduction.

"I'm Bella - Sabella Dagworth-Granger, that is." She looked around the boys hesitantly. "Nice to meet you."

"Theodore Nott," Said the the tallest boy, who had floppy light brown hair and dark eyes. "Nice to finally meet a Dagworth-Granger. Tris idolized you uncle while he was here."

Bella blinked in surprise. It was the second time that someone had mentioned her uncle in a rather short amount of time. She managed to nod, as politely as she could.

"Blaise Zabini. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." The black boy said.

He stepped forward and kissed her hand, making her flush.

Bella looked hesitantly at the pale boy, who said, "You must know who I am, I just said."

"Don't mind Draco, he's a prat, always has been." Said Blaise absently.

She let a smile tug at her lips for a second before noticing Draco's glare and quickly stopping.

"Anyway…" Said Tracey. "Can we sit here?"

"If you must." Said Draco pompously.

The slight tension slipped away slightly, and Tracey and Bella sat down in armchairs facing the boys. Unsurprisingly, the conversation turned to Quidditch, the safest subject for wizarding children until it came to a British regional level, so they talked about the latest World Cup, which had taken place over the summer. Scotland's bitter defeat was still a sore topic, and the small group angrily discussed the five day match, Canada's surprising number of fouls, and Harrison Hermes' (the Scottish keeper) amazing blunders.

Bella also learnt that Tracey's favorite team was the Holyhead Harpies, just like her. She discovered that Blaise Zabini was actually part Italian (leading to his odd accent), and that Theodore Nott lived with his mother and four sisters.

Slowly, the time inched by, and other students trickled into the common room, including three more boys who Bella was never introduced to, and the rest of her dormmates. It seemed to Bella that everyone knew each other, save Millicent Bulstrode, Vera Knighton, and one of the other boys. The entirety of her year was gathered together before they headed to breakfast, very much taking Professor Snape's word to heart and literally standing as one. The small group of first-years made their way up to the Great Hall, chattering quietly to each other in nervous excitement and sat, all on one end of the Slytherin table to eat.

Bella didn't have the stomach to eat anything at all, so she sat and nibbled on a piece of toast silently. The rest of the hall filled with other students, and eventually, the Heads of the Houses began to walk around, handing out schedules to their students. She didn't dare look Professor Snape in the eye when he handed her her schedule, but she thanked him as politely as she could, albeit rather quietly. It took Bella a moment to decipher her schedule, but she squinted and read:

Sabella Dagworth-Granger, Year One

~ MONDAY: Potions, History of Magic, -Break-, Charms, -Free/Lunch-, Double Transfiguration, Herbology, -Free/Dinner-.

~ TUESDAY: Charms, Transfiguration, -Break-, Defense Against the Dark Arts, -Free/Lunch-, Double Herbology, History of Magic, -Free/Dinner-.

~ WEDNESDAY: Double Potions, -Break-, Herbology, -Free/Lunch, History of Magic, Transfiguration, Charms, -Free/Dinner-, Astronomy.

~ THURSDAY: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, -Break-, History of Magic, -Free/Lunch- Double Charms, Potions, -Free/Dinner-.

~ FRIDAY: Potions, History of Magic, -Break-, Charms, -Free/Lunch-, Double Transfiguration, Herbology, -Free/Dinner-.

On Mondays and Fridays, the schedule was the same, and it seemed that she had almost all her classes everyday.

Her inspection of her schedule was cut off as a loud fluttering and clattering filled the air, and Bella very nearly fell out of her seat in surprise as hundreds upon hundreds of owls swooped through the rafters and upper windows, circling the tables until they saw their masters or recipients, and dropping letters and parcels into their laps.

A medium-sized brown-grey owl was soaring directly at her, and Bella recognised her as Sidra, Aunt Elena's owl. The owl made a miraculous turn directly over her head, dropping a letter from her talons and flying back towards the shutters, Bella watching her wistfully all along, until the letter hit her plate.

She grabbed it and began to open it, hope and agitation flittering about in her stomach, but she was still pulling out the letter with shaking hands when another owl, huge and black this time, swooped down and landed on her plate, to stick out its leg with another letter. Bella blinked stupidly and stared at the owl for a second. This was another owl, she knew, vaguely at least. The opposite of his terrifying demeanor, his name was 'Mr. Hoots', and he was very, very old. And, he belonged to to her Uncle James, the only surviving member of her family who was a Slytherin.

Bella managed to untie the letter from the owl's leg, and tear off a piece of toast for him. As Mr Hoots flew away, Bella looked at the letters, contemplating which to open first.

A voice made her look up. "Quite popular, aren't you?" It was an older boy, a little ways down the table.

Bella felt her face flame. "Not really…" she muttered.

"Sorry." He said, not sounding remotely interested. Then, he leant forward and said, "Open the more uplifting one first, that's how I always do it."

Bella stared at him a moment, then reached for the scroll huge with Aunt Elena's neat handwriting addressed to the school.

Dearest Bella,

Congratulations! Even if you can't see it now, you're just like your father at eleven years old. I know you're surprised to be Slytherin, but you shouldn't worry that anyone is angry; both Ernest and James were Slytherins, so we're no strangers to the idea of it.

Personally, I thought you would follow my footsteps into Hufflepuff, as that was what you wanted as well, but as you've followed my brothers' footsteps, I will tell you now: no matter what house you are in, you can be amazing.

I've owled James a copy of your letter, and believe that he'll be responding soon, if he hasn't already. He'll have good advice; the way he managed to navigate through Hogwarts was amazing. I don't know if anyone's told you, but he was a Prefect and Head Boy in his time. If anyone knows about Slytherin, it's him. Your father on the other hand, was more of the quiet one, drifting his way through Hogwarts, passing all his classes (just barely) while excelling at Potions, the only one out of the three of us to continue the family profession. It infuriated your mother to no end that he only payed attention to the thing he was good at. While I've gone off reminiscing, it's really James who can help, and all I can do is reassure you not to worry. Even if you don't get through Hogwarts like the rest of us, you'll still get through, and according to your house's character, you'll do amazing things if you want to.

Lots of love from your Auntie,

EODG

Aunt Elena's looping initials finished the letter, and Bella felt a small swell in her chest. Auntie wasn't angry at her, and honestly, she wasn't sure why she had ever thought that in the first place. She re-roled the parchment and slipped it into her robe pocket.

She turned her attention to the envelope with her uncle's small, scratchy handwriting.

Dear Ella-Bella,

Firstly, I'm very glad I get to write to someone on their first day of school, as Liam has decided that he's too old to receive mail from his parents on a regular basis. Secondly, congratulations! I can't say that I wasn't expecting you to be in Hufflepuff, but when I think on it, you remind me of my brother in demeanor as well as looks. In your letter you say that the Hat sorts based on what someone can be, rather than what they are, as well as the fact that this doesn't seem like an intelligent approach. In response, I can tell you that everyone I knew had me pinned as a Gryffindor, and I was honestly quite disappointed to be in Slytherin, but by the end of my Hogwarts career, I would have greatly regretted being a Gryffindor.

Now: there is a bit of a schedule to Slytherin's madness, and as you've already been there a night, I can assume that your head of house has explained the rules, very vaguely. Tonight, the seventh year Slytherin prefects, or head boy/girl will give you a bit more information. Rules, procedures, structures and expectations will be explained in more depth. Whoever is the one to explain these rules should be treated with the greatest respect you can muster; this is the leader of the Slytherin Council. The Council is the leading body of Slytherin, made up of the most influential, powerful, and potential filled students, normally from third year up. You already may have a bit of attention from them, being the daughter of a Slytherin who managed to maintain civil contact with even a few Death Eaters until a year or so before his death, as well as being my niece, myself having had the honor of being the head boy and leader of the Council.

My best advice is: get on the good side of the Council. Don't get involved with the obsessive, dark or bitter side, if anything, stay in the shade, closer to the light.

I graduated just as You-Know-Who was rising to power, so I hope that our house is not as divided as it once was.

Use your talents, no matter how trivial they seem.

Love and encouragement,

James Dagworth-Granger

Bella's first reaction to the letter was a pang of annoyance at her cousin, and she swiveled to glare at Liam's back two tables away. How could he ever deny his parents the option to write to him all the time?

Her second reaction was to relax, just slightly. Uncle James had a way of being completely honest while being comforting at the same time. It seemed to Bella that what she should do was simply not draw attention to herself, and if she did end up with attention, then to do something good, the only problem was that she didn't know what that something was.

"Sabella! We're going to class now, come on!" It was Tracey, tugging on her robe from behind.

"Oh!" Said Bella in suprise. "Yeah… You have potions too then?"

Tracey nodded. "Slytherin first years have all their classes together."

"All right…" Bella folded up the parchment and followed Tracey, Daphne, Vera and Pansy out of the hall.

0 0 0

The castle was just as weird and wonderful as it had first seemed. Twisting passageways, random doors, moving staircases, rickety balconies, and secret entrances or passages made up the castle, classrooms and closets randomly dispersed in the mayhem.

According to a knowing third year, there were a hundred and forty-two staircases on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The rest of the time, others cropped up, and sometimes, the normal ones went missing.

The doors sometimes pretended, and other times, demanded a password no one knew. The paintings constantly went visiting one another, so they were hardly reliable, while the caretaker, Mr. Filch, never told you anything.

A few of the first years continuously forgot to check for the trick steps and had to be hauled out by their armpits.

Peeves, the poltergeist, displayed the reason that the ghosts had be arguing about him on the first day, by dropping Ink Pellets on the heads of students in the entrance hall, then zooming off, cackling wickedly.

The armor statues moved occasionally or muttered an insult from beneath their visor, while the floorboards and cobbles sometimes seemed to rearrange themselves into their own patterns.

The students themselves were almost as magical as the school. Fifth years ran down the corridors, hair black and singed from a particularly bad Potions lesson, while distressed forth years shot hexes at anyone who got in their way, as they were late to class.

The third years, who were starting more advanced Transfiguration, randomly cast spells, trying to turn shoehorns into lizards.

The seventh years seemed to be the worst, already worried for their N.E.W.T examinations, they constantly blustered around, Summoning quills to jot down this or that, or commanding second years to get them books, which bellowed when opened.

And then there were the classes, if you managed to get to them; Charms and Astronomy, Herbology, Potions, and more, all very different and strange unto themselves.

First, they had Potions in the dungeons with Professor Snape, who was just as intimidating as he had first seemed. He did seem to prefer them to the other houses, which was a blessing, as his classes were demanding enough without him glaring at you the whole time.

In their first class, which was shared with the Ravenclaws, Bella happily sat by Lily, and they exchanged secretive glances and whispers about what their respective houses were like. Professor Snape set them a series of complex notes about the purpose and history of potions, and told them that they would start brewing in their respective double classes. The homework, due on the double class, was to write a short explanation of who, how, why, and where potions came to be.

Then, Bella walked with Pansy and Vera to their next lesson: History of Magic, which turned out to be the most boring class she had ever attended. History had always been one of Bella's favorite subjects in primary school, but the teacher in this case was a ghost called Professor Binns, who had an impressively bland and dull voice, and after taking notes for the first half of the class, she fell asleep. Tracey poked her awake at the end of class, looking half asleep herself, and they found their other housemates outside. They had a break in between classes, and the first part of it Bella spent in an awkward silence, listening to the others talk about classes, people and other nonsensical things, until Lily spotted her and she made a polite excuse to run over to her friend.

"They can't be that bad!" Said Lily when they had sat down on a bench with Padma.

Bella sighed. "They're not, it's just… They're so, I dunno, posh."

Padma and Lily both giggled, and Bella let an apologetic smile slip onto her face. "Most of them seem decent, actually, I just feel sort of… Out of place."

Padma nodded understandingly. "Well, I know Pansy, Tracey, Draco, Blaise and Greg, and they are all a bit - ah, oh, I don't know, they are all rather posh!" Padma shrugged. "And that's me talking!"

The Patil twins were descended from a long line of India wizarding royalty, and had been raise in the nicest part of London.

"That's true." Said Lily absently. "To be honest, if you were raised by your grandmother, or your -" She broke off.

Bella finished for her. "Parents?"

"Yes, well, you'd have probably turned out like them." Lily looked at her closely. "Just be polite, and Slytherin-y I 'spose."

Bella nodded, trying to take her friends' words to heart. "What class do you have next, by the way? I've got Charms, I think."

Lily and Padma both looked slightly disappointed. "We've got Transfiguration." Said Lily. "Sorry…"

Bella shook her head hurriedly. She didn't want her friends to feel bad, just because of her sorting. "No, no, don't worry, I'll be fine! I think you're right, anyway, about how to act… Bye then."

Lily held her gaze for a moment, looking like she still pitied her.

"Really, Lils, don't worry. Bye Padma, see you!"

Bella retreated to her housemates, just as the bell rang to give a two-minute warning. They hurried to Charms class next, which was taught by the diminutive Professor Flitwick, who stood on a pile of books just to see over his desk. They took notes on the basics of Charms: wand movement, incantation, and purpose. Their homework was to read chapters one and two in The Standard Book of Spells and write down anything they thought relevant to the purpose of charms.

Afterwards, they had lunch, and then Transfiguration with the Gryffindors, and more importantly, Harry Potter, who Bella couldn't help glancing at every now and then.

He had skin that should have been a tan colour, but seemed slight ashy and pale, as though he didn't see the sun quite enough. His large round glasses covered his bright green eyes, and much to her surprise, his famous 'lightning bolt scar' wasn't a simple squiggly line, but a great series of thin jagged line splintering across the left side of his forehead, like a real bolt of lightning.

Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, was almost exactly as she had imagined her, strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then, she changed her desk into a pig and back again, impressing even Draco Malfoy, who had maintained a slightly frustrating smirk through all their classes so far. Bella couldn't wait to get started, but quickly realized they wouldn't be changing furniture to animals any time soon. After making a lot of complex notes, they were given a match each, as well as an incantation, and ordered to turn it to a needle. By the end of the lesson, only the bushy haired girl, Hermione Granger, had managed to make a difference in the match. Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy. Bella scowled at her match, which had only managed to become slightly bent, and wished she were able to turn it to a needle with her mind.

As Transfiguration had been double period, they made their way down to the greenhouse behind the school for their last class: Herbology. It was taught by a dumpy little witch names Professor Sprout, and in it, they learnt how to take care of all the odd plants and fungi that Bella recognized from Aunt Elena's secret garden, but had never been able to name. At the end of the lesson, Bella trooped back to the common room with dirt stuck under her fingernails. As they had until six o'clock for dinner, and it was only quarter past four when she got to the common room, she decided to take a bath to calm herself.

After a long, replenishing bath, Bella felt slightly better to face her housemates. She put her uniform back on and dried her hair, then wandered into the dorm room. Tracey and Daphne were sprawled out on the floor flipping through a copy of WitchWeekly, while Pansy and Vera were explaining something very animatedly to Millicent and Rachel, causing all of them to giggle a lot.

Bella worked up the courage to smile politely at Daphne and Tracey, then say "hello" to the other girls. Then, she made her way to her desk and sat down to write to Uncle James.

Bella must have written for a very long time, as Pansy's voice startled her just as she was signing the letter. "It's almost six! I told the boys that we'd all go up for dinner together! We've got to go!"

Bella was just as surprised when most of the other girls jumped up and headed for the door while she was still just putting her parchment away. The only other girl who took her time was Daphne, who stood up slowly and put away the magazine before hurrying after her friend, leaving Bella to follow.

In the common room, they met with the boys, who were acting considerably more familiarly with each other than before, and Bella even managed to catch the name of the boy whose name she hadn't know: Samuel Wilkes.

After a dinner (during which Bella managed to have an actual conversation with Pansy, as well as eat a full meal, consisting of salmon, potatoes and vegetables), they went back to the common room and seated themselves around one of the many furnaces in the Sunroom to begin their homework. That is, until there was a shout from the main common room. "Oi! Everyone! Com'ere!" It was Michael Roden, the Prefect.

Bella looked around and saw that even the older students were heeding this command, so she carefully placed her Standard Book of Spells, parchment and quill on the sleek grey armchair she had been sat upon, and followed.

Then, a familiar voice then added,"You lot - first years! Come up front."

Bella and Tracey glanced at each other and then made their way to the front of the crowd, who were all gathered facing the fireplace. And there, silhouetted by the fire was the tall boy from the platform, only now his hair was messier and his glasses were tucked into his breast pocket.

Something in Bella's stomach dropped after she realized that this was most likely the head boy, and more importantly, the head of the Slytherin Council. She'd probably already offended him, by bumping into him, and now she would be hated by the Slytherins.

"Alright!" He called, but he sounded somehow less aloof than on the platform. "As some of you might not know, I am the head boy this year, along with Helen Carter of Ravenclaw. My name is Elliot Sterling." He looked around, his dark eyes flashing, and gave a pointed look to someone behind Bella. "So, for this year, if something important happens, it'll be reported to me, got it? If you tell a prefect it'll get back to me eventually."

"We know, Sterling, get on with it!" Called a tall curvy girl at the far corner.

Elliot Sterling raised his eyebrows. "Thank you, Brandt, for the kind reminder."

Bella stifled a grin.

"Now, as dear old Livina says, I will 'get on with it'. You have already heard Professor Snape's rules, now you will hear mine:

First, don't get in trouble. I generally don't mind what you do with your time unless it involves permanent damage to a person or valuable object, but, if you get caught doing something, it's on you if we lose points.

"Second, we don't discuss politics unless you are sure the people you are discussing with share the same views and that you aren't overheard. If you've got a political debate with someone, do it formally, I don't like petty fights." His voice was simply cautionary, but at the same time, Bella could tell at once that 'petty fights' would not happen, or at least be very well concealed.

"Third, watch each other's backs. Not everyone in this school loves Slytherins, so, outside of the common room we stand as a united front. Quarrel if you must, but the argument never leaves the dungeons.

"Fourth, we aren't the house of ambition for no reason; if you have bad grades, it'll affect your future endeavors rather negatively. Therefore, you are expected to scrape at least an 'A' average in all your classes. If you aren't doing well, ask for help - being stubborn won't help you achieve in that aspect.

"And finally, not so much a rule, but I would like to point out that no matter blood status, if one is a Slytherin, they are an equal. If one is chosen to be in the Nobel house of Salazar Slytherin, they have the right to respect, until at least, they prove themselves unworthy.

"Now," he clapped his hands suddenly, making Bella jump slightly. "I'll sum up my rules: 1 - don't get caught, 2 - mind your audience, 3 - keep your friends close, 4 - do well, and 5 - you are worthy 'till proven otherwise.

"Got that? If you didn't, you might not deserve to be here, so think it over!"

Sterling waved his hand dismissively, then walked over to a group of armchairs with a few other seventh years, where they sat down as though nothing had happened.

Bella starred, then pivoted and followed suit, walking back to her armchair in the Sunroom and sitting down, trying her best to act like nothing had happened. She reopened her Standard Book of Spells and began absently scratching down first year charms and their purposes, really thinking about what the head boy had said. It was really a rather loose set of rules, but at the same time, it did rule out some options for the more extreme Slytherins, so Bella supposed that it was sensical.

The other first years were also discussing the head boy's statements in hushed voices.

"He's bloody amazing!" Whispered Blaise Zabini.

Most of the others nodded in agreement, murmuring other ideas about him.

"I think," Drawled Draco Malfoy. "That he's a bit like Dumbledore. A bit mad, but you do respect him, you know?"

Everyone at least smiled at that.

Tracey looked at Bella and surprised her by asking, "What d'you think of him Bella?"

Bella looked at the other first years nervously. "I dunno." She said quietly. "I mean, he's obviously in charge this year, so you kind of have to respect him. I 'spose I won't judge him till I see how he really acts, when he's not in front of his house, though."

All of them looked surprised at her opinion and Bella suddenly realized that that had probably been the most words they had heard her speak thus far.

Samuel Wilkes was nodding and Theodore was frowning slightly, while Daphne and Pansy actually looked almost impressed.

Bella flushed and quickly ducked her head in the pretense of working on her charms assignment.

The conversation eventually turned to classes, teachers, school work, and how Tracey understood nothing about the Transfiguration notes, something that Bella didn't understand either but wasn't entirely willing to ask for help on.

0 0 0

The next day, after Transfiguration ended, Professor McGonagall called for Bella to stay behind, causing her to wonder if she really was doing that badly in the class already. She had managed to make her match into the shape of the needle, it just wasn't silver yet. Her worry must have shown on her face, as when she stood before Professor McGonagall's desk, the woman began with, "Don't look so worried, Ms. Dagworth! As the Deputy Head, I must tell you that the Ministry has informed us of your Selkie heritage." She clasped her hands in front of her on the desk. "Because of this, the Headmaster has given you permission to visit the sea once a month, with either your grandmother or aunt. You will also be escorted to the lake by the groundskeeper, Hagrid, no more than once a week."

Bella felt a balloon swelling in her chest at the idea of exploring the lake, just like Auntie had said. She grinned at the Professor and nodded politely.

"Your family also informed us that you prefer to keep your blood identity quiet," Bella nodded again. "Because of this, I'm sorry to say that your lake visits will have to be at night. If you'd like to pick a night, you can study in the library until curfew, then Hagrid will take you down to the lake from there."

Bella thought for a moment, then settled on - "Thursday. If Mr. Hagrid doesn't mind."

"Oh, Hagrid won't mind." Said McGonagall. "He'll love any excuse to talk to that squid of his…"

Bella's eyes widened.

"Well! You have -" McGonagall pulled out a silver pocket watch. "About twelve minutes left of your break. Hurry along, Ms. Dagworth."

Bella did hurry, and managed to get all the way down to the common room to change her books before racing back up, and up and up to her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where she slid into a seat between Lily and Padma, thoroughly out of breath.

The class itself turned out to be a bit of a joke. The classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would come back to get him. The teacher, Professor Quirrell was a bit off as well, constantly stuttering and talking about the weather.

The next two days were fraught with waiting until she could visit the lake. Finally, dinner ended on Thursday and Bella hurried to the library, making excuses to Tracey, who was quickly becoming the closest thing Bella had to a friend in Slytherin, as well as Pansy, who liked to know where everyone was.

She sat in the library for close to three hours, finishing almost all her homework for the rest of the week. Just as she finished her diagram of a hopping mushroom, the clock struck ten, and Madam Pince herded everyone else out of the library. A few minutes later, the same man who had brought them across the lake entered and said, "'Ello Ma'm Pince! I'm 'ere to pick up -" he glanced at a piece of parchment. "Ms. Dagworth?"

The strict librarian simple pointed at Bella's table in response.

"Perfect!" He said. "Come on, now."

Bella gathered up her things and followed the giant man out. He told her to call him Hagrid, and she properly introduced herself. They made their way down the grounds, Hagrid telling her all about the creatures in the lake and how she shouldn't go to deep underwater, especially at night.

After a long walk, they reached the far side of the lake and Hagrid sat down on a huge boulder while Bella walked to the edge of the lake. She took off her shoes and socks then held her locket in her right hand and carefully took out her cloak.

As was folded into a tiny square, Bella used her fingernails to unfold it a few times before holding onto the edge and shaking it hard. The silver grey cloak billowed out in front of her and she swung it over her shoulders then fixed the bone-carved clasp together. Her hood hung around her neck and the long cloak swung about her body. She glanced back at Hagrid, who had been watching avidly, then strode into the water until it was above her waist, flipped the hood over her head, and dove head-first into the water.

The lake embraced her, and she could feel herself slipping into Seal form, her legs flowing together, arms shortening to flippers, and cloak tightening to her skin. Bella opened her eyes and let out a bubbly giggle.

Bella was suspended above a gorge from which seaweed climbed and fish swam, the moon's light shining down in a pearly pire, drifting apart the deeper it got. She gave another chuckle of happiness and dove after a particularly tasty looking fish.

Yeah, the pacing was kinda bad and so was the character development, but I've been sick for ever so please don't be too angry. If you've got any suggestions please comment, good or bad, I don't care.

Also: Bella will end up with a small pet, if you could leave suggestions for male names that would be great.

Byeee

-Lyra


	7. Politics and Seafaring

**Next chapter! As you can probably tell, I took a good amount straight from the book, so: I don't own Hp, JK Rowling does, but I own Bella, and her family, and a few OCs.**

_**this means speaking in Fey~**_

 **Here we go!**

It became very evident over the next few weeks that Pansy was in charge. She was always in the company of two or three of the other girls, and never stopped telling them when to and how to do things. Bella, who, before Hogwarts had considered Pansy a friend after the few times they played together, was getting frustrated.

Daphne Greengrass also seemed to be increasingly annoyed with Pansy's behavior, but she as well never confronted her about it, preferring to settle for bitter stares and disgruntled scoffs.

The thing that bothered Bella to no end was how nasty Pansy could be. Her first burst of nastiness was displayed very vividly in their first flying lesson, something Bella had been looking forward to. Unfortunately, the lesson was with the Gryffindors, who seemed to be able to make an argument out of anything. At the beginning of the lesson, things had been quite fun, as everyone else had also been looking forward to it too, telling great tales of escapades on broomsticks, the majority of which Bella doubted were true. She only contributed one story, just slightly exaggerated, of a time when she had borrowed Aunt Elena's broomstick and managed to fly into a large orchard, to be chased out by loudly barking dogs at high speeds.

As it turned out, Tracey, Vera, and Rachel had never been on a broom in their lives, as all of fathers or brothers deemed it unsafe and promised they would learn at school.

All of the boys had flown before, and their stories rivaled even the Gryffindors; whether dodging hang-gliders, helicopters, hot air balloons, or planes, all of them had somewhat of the same story.

At breakfast on the morning of the lesson, there was a small disturbance involving Draco Malfoy, Neville, a Remembrall, and Professor McGonagall, but apart from that, the day went smoothly, until the lesson, that is.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Bella, following Tracey and Pansy, hurried down the front steps into the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns towards a smooth lawn on the opposite side of the grounds from the Forbidden Forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were the first to arrive, to find twenty broomsticks in neat lines on the ground. Bella had heard one of the older boys complaining about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew to high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch arrived after the Gryffindors. She had short, grey hair and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" She barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Bella glanced at Millicent Bullstrode, who shrugged, as if to say 'we might as well'. She walked to stand next to a ancient broomstick with a well worn handle and slightly bent twigs.

"Stick out your right hand over you broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say, 'Up!'"

"UP!" Everyone shouted.

Bella's broom lept into the air, but not high enough to catch, so she made a grab for it, and missed. She frowned at the broom.

Why should she be picking it up with her wrong hand?

She hopped over it and said, "Up!" again.

It jumped into Bella's hand, and she caught it this time and grinned.

A few others were having trouble as well, and Bella could tell at once that most of the people who had flown before had been able to do it in their second or third try, while some people's brooms just rolled around.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows, correcting grips. Bella was rather surprised when she told Malfoy that his grip was entirely wrong, after the amount of boasting he had done.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard." Said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet and then come straight back down by leaning forwards slightly. On my whistle: three - two -"

But Neville, who Bella had always known to be clumsy, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" She shouted, but Neville was riding straight up like a cork out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. Bella saw his scared, white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and -

WHAM - a thud and a nasty crack that Bella thought sounded like a broken bone, and Neville lay, face down on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher and started to drift lazily towards the Forbidden Forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch bent over him, her face as white as his and said something Bella didn't catch.

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave the brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner than they were out of earshot than Draco Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you _see_ his face, the great lump?"

The Slytherin boys laughed, as did most of the girls, except Bella, Daphne and Millicent.

"Shut up, Malfoy." Snapped Parvati.

To Bella's continued disgust, Pansy stepped forward and crooned, "Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom? Never thought _you'd_ like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" Said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The see-through orb of a Remeberall glittered in the sun as he held it.

"Give it here, Malfoy." It was Harry Potter, speaking quietly from the Gryffindor crowd.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect - how about - up a tree?"

Bella almost stepped forward, but Harry did first, yelling, "Give it _here_!"

But, to her horror, Malfoy lept onto his broomstick and took off. He hadn't been lying. He _could_ fly well - hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom while someone argued.

"I can't believe it." Muttered Bella to herself. "Malfoy _and_ Potter are willing to get themselves killed, _just to spite the other!_ "

There was a soft snort from beside her, and Bella realized Daphne had heard her.

Harry Potter did it. He kicked off and soared up, with just as much skill as Malfoy, to stop sharply in front of the other boy. Harry's friend whooped and several girls gasped.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" Called Malfoy back, looking just the slightest bit worried.

Harry Potter leant forward and his broom shot like a javelin at Malfoy, who only just got out of the way in time. Now, Bella gasped.

Hadn't Harry Potter been raised by muggles? How in Merlin's name could he fly so well?

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy." Harry called.

"Catch it if you can, then!" Malfoy yelled back, and threw it has hard as he could, before streaking back to the ground.

Harry Potter was stationary for only a second before he dived, gathering speed, chasing the gleaming orb. Just when Bella thought he was sure to die, he caught it, pulled the broom up, and toppled gently onto the grass with it safely in his hand.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Bella cricked her neck from starting to look so quickly. Professor McGonagall was running towards them, and the said boy got to his feet, looking incredibly scared.

" _Never_ \- in all my time at Hogwarts -"

The Professor was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "- how _dare_ you - might have broken your neck -"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor -"

"Be quiet Miss Patil -"

"But Malfoy -"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

Once again, after the teacher was out of earshot, Malfoy, the boys, Pansy, Tracey, Rachel, and Vera burst out laughing.

"He's out of Hogwarts before he's even started properly!" Gasped Pansy, causing the boys to laugh even more.

Bella starred. For Slytherins, who were supposed to make allies and connections with influential people, they certainly didn't act very well.

Eventually, Madam Hooch came back, the lesson continued, and by the end, Bella (who had secretly considered herself a decent flyer already) felt much better and smoother in her turning, even on the rusty old broomsticks they were riding. In fact, everyone who had flown before was allowed a few minutes to themselves while Madam Hooch helped the beginners, and the boys quickly turned it into a race, Slytherin verses Gryffindor; from the huge oak to a large bush and back.

Malfoy won, but Bella could tell it was only because Crabbe had knocked all the others out of the way.

Neither Harry or Neville reappeared through the whole class, which Malfoy commented loudly on.

Bella spent her time practicing by weaving through the spread apart lower branches of the oak tree. Then, she glanced at Madam Hooch, who had her back turned, stood on one of the branches, kicked off her shoes, then flew down low over the lake to skim her toes in the water. For the last few minutes of class, she sat on a high up branch and watched the boys argue, not bothering to hold back her amusement.

Finally, class ended, and Pansy gathered the girls together, then, not seeing Bella, yelled, "Bella! Where are you? Come here!"

Bella felt a warm little blossom in her chest that someone had remembered her, and a pang of annoyance at Pansy's bossiness at the same time.

Bella flew down in a huff, got mud and a leaf or two in her socks, and ended up carrying her shoes, but she followed the others up to the castle silently.

But, even while the girls were under tight regulation by Pansy, Bella managed to become rather friendly with Tracey and Rachel. This came in handy, as without them, she would have nobody to sit with at classes or meals apart from Pansy; in fact, the first time Rachel saved her a seat at lunch, Bella almost cried with gratitude.

So while the days were long and slightly muddled, the third, then fourth weeks slipped by.

Bella began to notice little things about Slytherin, in particular, the disregard for rules that happened on a regular basis in the common room. It seemed that almost half of the Slytherin population had a pet that was blatantly against the 'cat, owl, or toad' rule. There was, of course, the huge number of cats, curled up in armchairs, chasing each other around the common room, sitting by the fire, and clawing at your legs if you walked to near. It was such a number of cats that Bella began to wonder if there was whole families of cats around the school, tabbies, tortoiseshell, black, white, grey, spotted and speckled, big and small; so many of them looked alike.

There was also a few toads and frogs, croaking nastily from shelves or the shoulders of their owners, and on occasion jumping onto an unfortunate person's head.

The owls, Bella found out, lived in the Owlery, and visited their owners at meals.

But, apart from the norm, there were also: rats and mice, bats and crows, ferrets, gerbils and hamsters, parrots, sparrows, and doves, and once, Bella swore she saw a little terrier on a sixth year's lap.

Every now and the, the odd stinkbomb would fly, or a brief flurry of spells to settle an argument.

Apart from that, she also saw the occasional bottle of firewhiskey or gigglewater, and even a large case of red wine. There was also the seventh years with cigars or smokers (the wizarding equivalent of cigarettes) hanging from their fingers or mouths.

In Bella's opinion, the Slytherins took the 'as long as you don't get caught' rule a bit far, but she didn't say anything to a teacher or anyone, or for that matter, except Emily, in her weekly letters.

By Friday, Bella was in eager anticipation for Sunday, on which she would be visiting with her grandmother and going to the sea. As it turned out, instead of visiting Grandmother's house near Canterbury, they were Flooing directly to Bella's mother's family home: a huge stone cottage that Bella technically owned because the majority of her mother's relatives preferred not to be human for more than a few days. It was on one of the northmost Orkney islands, and sat comfortably on a little outcrop above the sea.

On Fridays, they finished classes at lunch, so they had a long free period. Originally, Bella had been sitting with Tracey and Daphne, but after Tracey dragged them over to Pansy, Bella made an excuse and slipped away.

She wandered down the side corridors, full of light from the windows, and small groups of students, lolling around with cloaks over shoulders and ties undone. After a little bit of exploring, she ended up tripping on a stone and falling through a tapestry and into a little winding staircase. It was rather dark, but a bit of light bounced off the curved wall a ways up, so Bella began to climb. And climb, and climb.

The stairs must have climbed up at least to the seventh floor by now, she thought, and she finally came to a tiny landing with a good amount of light from a small window. She peered out, and saw that she most certainly was near the top of the castle, what felt like miles above the glinting lake.

The landing she was on ended the stairs, and on one side, there was a little wooden door, while the other had a slanted, crooked ladder, leading up through a little hole in the ceiling. Bella decided to just take a peek up the ladder, and stuck her head up the way, to see a small circular room, full of birdcages, windowpanes, and plants. Confused, Bella decided to look through the little wooden door instead.

She pulled the little bronze knob, stepped through and promptly fell down. The door opened a painting that was a good four feet off the ground.

"Oof!" She said.

Looking in around, she found herself in a perfectly normal corridor, one she had never been in before, so she knew it was on the seventh floor.

The door snapped shut, and Bella heard footsteps around the corner.

"Oh my!"

"Dear me!"

" _What_ is a little, ickle, snakie doing up here?"

It was the redhead Weasley twins, standing above her, looking almost as wicked as Peeves.

"I fell…" Muttered Bella.

"Really! That's impressive -" Began one.

"- I've never heard of someone who could fall upwards!" Said the other.

They looked at each other, then said seriously, "But I do believe that's called flying…"

If it was in different circumstances, Bella would have found them funny, but sitting on the floor with two wicked tricksters poking fun at her was not where she had hoped to be that afternoon.

"I _fell_ out of _there_." She pointed at the painting she had just fallen through, which depicted a group of young witches swooning over a tall warlock that reminded Bella of one of Beedle Bard's Tales.

"Oh." Said the one on the left. "How on earth did you find that? The only ones who know about that stairway are us, Filch, and that bloody cat of his."

The other crouched down and looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Why did you use it? You trying to find the Gryffindor common room? Trying to infiltrate it?"

Bella gaped at him. "No!" She exclaimed. "I just wanted to get away fro- fr- from th… _them._ "

And, to her own surprise, she began to cry.

"Oh - oh no." She heard. "I didn't mean it; it was a _joke_!"

But she just buried her face in her hands and shook her head.

Someone patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. "What's the matter, firstie?"

Bella doubted they heard her when she said, "I - I don't _want_ to be a Slytherin!"

To her surprise, the twin who had been crouching, sat down beside her. "Don't worry about it. You've got to be there for _some_ reason."

"I j-just want -" Bella sobbed. "- to b-be Hufflepuff! I'm _n-not_ evil!"

"Hey! You know, me _and_ George almost went to Slytherin." Said the boy who was still standing.

"That's true - but we're not exactly ambitious, we don't pay attention in class at all, so I think that's why we ended up here."

"Come on… Don't worry! Slytherin isn't _really_ that bad, the only ones we hate are the Prefects, and the Quidditch Team, but that comes with being Gryffindor, doesn't it!"

Bella wiped at her eyes and looked up. "Does everyone really hate us?"

The boy standing in front of her looked uncertain. "Well…"

George, still at her side, answered slowly, "I'm sorry to say that a few people do. It has to do with the fact that a lot of Slytherins are related to - well, _Death Eaters._ " He whispered.

The other twin nodded, trying to look casual. "And, they _did_ kill quite a few people, in the war that is."

Bella gave a hiccup, and more tears streamed down her face. "They killed my mum and dad." She said hoarsely.

Now, the other twin sat down. "I'm sorry." He said, and for the first time, he sounded completely humorless. "We lost our uncles."

Bella rubbed her eyes again, then said, "I'm sorry too."

"Come on, cheer up a bit. You're still alive, and that's pretty important." Said George.

"Here, let's introduce ourselves properly, Gred." Said the other twin.

"Right! I'm Gred, and he's Forge!" Said George, pointing at his brother.

"Actually," said the twin, "I'm Freorge, and he's Geord!"

Bella smiled.

"See?" Said George.

"There's a smile!" Exclaimed Fred.

"Now, _who_ are _you_?" They said together, reminding Bella of the Blue Caterpillar.

"I'm Bella Dagworth-Granger. Nice to meet you."

Fred grinned. "It is _ever_ so nice to meet you!" He said pompously.

George nodded. "Now hurry along, Miss Dagworth! You've got all day to explore!"

Then, the twins helped her up, laughing and joking, and promised to prank any Slytherin who bothered her, and sent her on her way.

Bella did in fact explore for the rest of the day. She wandered along the long, tall corridors with huge windows, the narrow little passages between unused classrooms, small stone bridges suspended between towers, and oh, so many staircases. Slowly, she made her way down, noticed that everyone seemed to be gone, and realized it was dinner. Bella ran down the marble stairs to the Great Hall, and slipped into a seat in-between Millicent and Rachel, as Tracey was sitting right next to Pansy. She had a bit of soup, but her mind was elsewhere. Ever since her conversation with the twins, she had been thinking about how many of her housemates' parents could very well have worked for You-Know-Who.

Bella glanced at Rachel, who was talking animatedly with Samuel Wilkes about Quidditch. The Averys were a well-known dark family, but all of the expansive family was either incarcerated or dead, excluding wives and children.

How could Rachel be related to them? She could be a bit mean in her gossiping, but she wasn't _evil_.

Bella looked at all of her classmates. The Bullstrodes worked for whoever paid the most, but during the war, that was You-Know-Who, so Millicent's father had most likely worked for him. Samuel Wilkes' father was in prison, leaving no questions, both the Crabbe and Goyle families were like the Bullstrodes, and the Parkinsons were supposedly a grey family, but everyone knew that they dabbled in the dark arts. Malfoy was a dark name, and the Notts were heavily involved in the war.

Blaise Zabini, on the other hand, was neutral, mainly because he hailed from Italy on his mother's side, and the Greengrasses were on no one's side, while Vera Knighton and Tracey's families were half-blooded and stayed grey in every form of political strife.

Bella listened to these children's conversations, wondering if they really were evil.

0 0 0

It seemed that the day had more adventures in store for Bella. After dinner, she finished as much homework as she could before the weekend, then sat with the girls up on the balcony, talking about the teachers and other houses.

They eventually went to bed, but Bella couldn't seem to sleep. She lay curled in the corner of her bed nook, watching the lake's dark shapes shift around outside the window. Her locket warm in her hands, Bella decided to go take a bath, so she pulled on her robe and was halfway out the door before she heard soft, murmuring voices. She checked the clock at the end of the hall: two o'clock.

 _Who in Circe's name is awake now?_ She wondered.

Softly, Bella crept down the hall, the soft rugs muffling her footsteps. The voices were certainly coming from the common room.

"Now - third order of business: the first years."

Bella stopped dead. It was Elliot Sterling, his deep and casual voice distinctive.

Bella took a deep breath a made a decision. She tiptoed along the corridor to the short flight of stairs that led to the common room.

"Bulstrode, Millicent." Said another voice as Bella stepped onto the first stair. "Father - Morgan Bulstrode, mother - Viola Bulstrode nee Jones. Pureblood. Relations - two uncles and an aunt on her mother's side and an uncle on her father's. She's got a few cousins."

"My sister." Called out someone else. "She's alright, for a sister, she's pureblooded obviously, and we might be able to wrangle a marriage contract between her and Connor Macmillan, that third year."

There was a rustle of paper, and another person spoke. "Dagworth-Granger, Sabella."

Bella froze on the third step down. She could see the light from the fire dancing on the dark floor, and many long silhouettes moving around. "Half-blood, by record. Father - Ernest Dagworth-Granger, dead, mother - Elizabella Dagworth-Granger nee Thorne, dead.

"There's a document on her mother, but I can't get to it - it's 'highly classified', and so are all of the remaining Thorne family."

Bella was on the fifth step down now, and could see a part of the group. There must have been almost eighty or ninety people*, perched in the armchairs, sprawled on the carpets, and crowding in and around the sofa pit, all facing towards the head boy, who was sitting cross-legged on a pouf in front of the fire.

 _How do they know this?_ Wondered Bella desperately.

"Comments?" Said Sterling.

"Well…" Said a smaller voice. "She's related to two rather influential Slytherins. _But_ , she seems like a bit of a Hufflepuff, to be honest."

There were a few murmurs, and Bella stepped onto the seventh and final step, concealed by the corner of the passage and a dark green banner. Someone else said, "Sometimes quiet is the best way to be."

One of the boys whose back was turned shrugged, and a parchment was passed to an older girl, who read, "Davis, Tracey. Half-blood. Father - Edwin Davis, mother - Sarafina Maxwell."

"Cousin of mine." Called a boy closer to Bella. "She's pretty smart, generally plays it safe. I think she's friends with the Greengrass girl, and the little Parkinson. I dunno much else, but her father's working his way up in the Ministry."

And on it went, all twelve of her housemates were analyzed and characterised by relations of theirs. Bella couldn't believe how much they seemed to know, even the simple things like blood status and parents. It was rather frightening, and Bella found that she was shaking, pressed against the cold stone wall, not daring to make a sound.

A few of the older students were smoking, and a bottle of a golden liquid was being passed around, somehow skipping over the younger ones.

Bella took a step back and was about to run for it, but she felt something brush past her leg and had to clap her hand over her mouth to stop from shrieking. I small black shape was slipping down the next few stairs and running across the common room. She only realized it was a cat when it's abnormally long tail was flicking behind it.

The cat wove itself around the legs of a girl stirring on the other side of the room. She looked at it and Bella saw her lips form the words ' _What's wrong?'._

Then, to her horror, the cat spoke; not English of course, but Fey, the language of magic.

 _~Intruder~_ It said, the wreath of silver-grey mist spilling from its mouth that only speakers could see.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Elliot." She said loudly, pausing the soft conversation of the room. "But we have a guest."

And she pointed right at the staircase where Bella stood, frozen.

That was it. Bella knew that she was about to die. And all because of a bloody cat.

"Well, do come out." Said Sterling, his voice pompous once more.

Bella didn't move.

"Come on. Someone go get her." Called one of the boys near to Sterling.

A very tall girl near the dorms passage got up and peered up at Bella. "It's just a firstie!" She said in surprise. "Come on, poppet. Come down."

Bella stared at her. Why was she being nice?

 _I don't have much of a choice, do I?_ She thought.

Slowly she walked down the steps, and the big girl took her shoulder and steered her towards the head boy.

"You're Sabella, right?" He said.

She nodded, thinking: _It's not like you don't know everything about me._

To her surprise, he then asked, "How much did you hear?"

Bella's lip trembled, but she bit her cheek and responded. "Since you started to talk about Millicent. I didn't mean to overhear, I was just going t-to the bath!"

There were a few laughs, and Sterling raised his eyebrows. "At, what -" He glanced at the clock. "Two in the morning?"

Bella clutched her robe closer around her. "I couldn't sleep - and I just wanted a hot bath."

"Couldn't sleep?"

"I was thinking." Said Bella honestly.

"Well, Miss Takes-A-Bath-At-Two-In-The-Morning, while you're here, why don't you sit down? We can play a game of cards."

Bella hesitated.

"I insist!" The head boy said cheerfully. "Sit there-" he pointed at a spot on the ground near his feet. "Louise will shuffle."

A girl with red hair sitting in the lowered sofa got up, shuffled a deck of cards and said, "How many?"

Quite a few of the people in the sofa pit raised their hands.

Bella looked around, hoping for an improbable escape route.

"Sit down, Bella." Said Sterling, more firmly.

She sat where he pointed, shifting away from the fire uncomfortably. "Have you ever played Cluich?**" When Bella nodded, he grinned and said, "We'll play together anyway."

Louise, the redhead, placed the cards face down in front of Bella, then sat down again.

"First?" Called Sterling.

"I'll put down a sickle." Said the girl on Louise's right.

Louise, who Bella could tell was the dealer, tossed a sickle into the center of the sofa pit.

"Sickle." Said the next player, a boy with long, black hair.

Bella picked up the cards while the next players placed their gambles. She grinned, then quickly smothered it, and Sterling, who looked over her shoulder must have caught on, because the corner of his mouth quirked then quickly turned it to a poker face.

"Sickle." He said, at their turn.

The next girl pulled a card, then added a sickle. So did the player after next. Then, just before their turn again, a girl raised to a galleon.

"Galleon." Sterling repeated.

A few more draws, and a brown haired girl folded.

When it was almost their turn again, Sterling glanced at her, and she mouthed ' _two'_.

He smiled just slightly and called, "Two galleons."

A few raised eyebrows, two more folds, some draws, and two more of their galleons went to the pot. Seven players left, including them.

Another raised gamble, and four more people folded. Three left.

Bella nodded when Sterling said, "Five galleons."

The black haired boy swore loudly, and threw down his cards. Bella grinned.

They went back and forth, increasing the gambles to seven galleons.

"Oh, just show already!" Called a girl.

A few other people agreed. "Show the cards!"

"Come on, be done with it!"

The girl seemed to have a personal vendetta against Sterling, as she was staring at him, unblinking, as she added her gamble again.

"Come on, Barkova! Let's just show already, you know you've lost."

She scowled. "Alright." She had a noticeable accent. "Just this time, Sterling."

They both lay down their cards.

Barkova had been bluffing. She had two warlocks, an ace, a mage, and a ten.

Bella and her partner had been bluffing as well, but with slightly better cards: three mages, and two sorcerers.

"You von." She said bitterly.

"Well," replied Sterling. "As you already knew that, you shouldn't take it personally."

He turned and faced to the room as a whole, which had continued with murmured conversation. "How far have you lot gotten?"

A girl braiding another girls hair said, "We're just discussing tactics for Quidditch this year."

"Perfect. Relay them to all to Flint, or get Sullivan to write them up. So we've covered classes, external connections, first years and Quidditch?"

Nods all around.

"So, _internal_ connections. Anyone?"

"The Patil cousins." A small voice from the back called.

Bella furrowed her brow. What were they talking about now?

A girl in front of Bella wrote the name down in messy cursive.

Someone else said, "Macmillans, too."

"Averys!"

"Parkinson."

"Malfoy, of course!" People muttered and commented on that one.

"Greengrass."

"Longbottom, maybe?"

"Potter, certainly."

"Dagvorth." Said a voice, and Bella looked up sharply.

It was the stubborn girl, Barkova. "It vasn't just Sterling behind those cards."

Bella looked around wildly, and found that everyone was looking at her, many with calculating looks in their eyes.

"If it vas not my final year, I vould adopt her myself." Added Barkova, to Bella's confusion and alarm.

"That's not a bad idea. Anyone willing to?"

Almost fifteen hands raised into the air.

Bella looked back at the head boy, hoping for an explanation, but he was looking around at the people with their hands up. "I think, since she's just a firstie, we should keep it at just fourth years."

Hands went down.

"So, we've got Butler, Ankhra, Holcombe, Pince, Sharrow, and Bungs." He looked at Bella, who gazed at him pleadingly. "You've got lots of options, don't worry." Turning back to the rest of the council, he continued, "Well, introduce yourselves!"

A girl with light brown hair and a pointed face stood up. "I'm Poppy Butler, fourth year, obviously, and I live in Germany."

"I'm Rehani Al'Ankhra, and I exchanged here from Uagadou, in Africa, and decided to stay." Said a thin girl with wild black hair framing her head.

Then a boy with honey coloured hair and light eyes. "Valerine Holcombe, nice to meet a Dagworth-Granger. I live in Canterbury, and have a little sister a year younger than you."

They all seemed to be talking directly to Bella, for some reason, and she was getting more and more confused. How could they adopt her? Aunt Elena and Grandmother had dual guardianship over her, and she was certain whatever was about to happen was illegal.

"Iness Pince. My great aunt is that monster of a librarian. I'm from York." Was a tall, boney girl with straight black hair.

A girl with a round, pretty face and shoulder length brown hair said, "I'm Lucy. Lucy Sharrow. I'm from Leicester, and I've got an older brother."

And lastly, A shorter boy with freckles and dark red hair. "I'm Hunter Bungs! I live in London with my grandparents."

Sterling smiled at her. "I think that narrows it down quite a bit, don't you?"

"I don't know." Said Bella quietly.

"Which one of them do you want to mentor and help you get used to Slytherin?" He responded.

" _Oh_." Said Bella, finally understanding. They didn't mean _actually_ adopt, they just meant… Well, something else. "I still don't know."

The head boy leant down and said patiently, "You narrow it down by how they can help you. Pince doesn't seem very excited, so no to her, Bungs is over excited, so no to him as well. I don't like Vale, so rule him out, Ankhra may end up going back to Uagadou, so rule her out too. That leaves you with Poppy Butler, or Lucy Sharrow."

Bella blinked. His reasoning seemed a bit off, but she decided not to argue.

"Go on, tell them." He encouraged.

"Uh…" The common room quieted of the soft conversations around them, making Bella hesitate. "Butler or Sharrow." She said, voice trembling slightly.

The two girls glanced at each other before walking around and standing in front of the head boy.

"No offense, Butler, but you only joined last year, and I don't think you're exactly the right fit for her." He said.

She nodded and shrugged, then walked back to her friends.

Sterling looked at the other girl and said very seriously, "So, we're left with you, Sharrow. Do you promise to mentor and guide Sabella through her next few years in Slytherin?"

The room became silent.

"I do."

"You promise to tutor and help her in any place she may fall behind?"

"I do."

"And you swear to do this all honestly and with the intent of bettering your adoptee?"

The girl nodded. "I do."

He turned to Bella, who was still sitting on the floor. "You are now a member of the Slytherin Council under your adopter. You will not have a vote until you are deemed ready."

Bella gaped, while the council applauded politely.

Lucy Sharrow stuck out her hand, and when she took it, she was pulled to her feet, and received a tight hug. Sharrow let go and held her at arms length, then smiled. "You look a tad confused. Let me explain…"

0 0 0

Bella woke the next morning wondering if it was all a dream. She looked down at her wrist and saw the multi colour bracelet that Lucy had taken of her own wrist and given to Bella.

She twisted it around her wrist, and at her touch, the colours shifted, matching the soft greens and blues that weaved outside the window in the lake.

Lucy had explained everything rather well, but Bella's head hadn't absorbed all of it. It was infinitely complex, Slytherin politics.

One of the parts that she remembered vividly was the fact that originally, Elliot Sterling wasn't going to be head boy. Instead it would have been Randolph Selwyn, who had been expelled and sentenced to Azkaban for three years for something in his sixth year. If things had gone differently, said Lucy, Slytherin would not be anywhere near as tolerant as it was, with Sterling in charge.

Bella sat on her bed for almost half an hour, contemplating it all, staring at the bracelet, before Tracey ripped back her curtains and informed her, "Pansy says breakfast!"

When Bella didn't react almost at all, Tracey poked her. "Come on, let's go - Pansy's waiting."

What Bella wanted to say was, 'Pansy oughtn't say anything, it'll do us all a favor', what she did say was, "Hm-kay.", and then got up.

On Saturdays, it was free dress, so Bella pulled on a skirt and a comfortable blouse, then went to the common room, waved at Lucy hesitantly, and followed the others to breakfast.

It was a long day for Bella, waiting for Sunday and her escape. People kept asking her funny questions about how she slept, and even a very casual and bored Blaise asked, putting it rather rudely: "You look terrible. Did you sleep?"

Bella shrugged in response to all the questions, and managed to maintain silence until Professor Sprout herself asked if she was feeling sick.

Finally Sunday came, and Bella skipped breakfast to wait outside of Professor McGonagall's office on the first floor.

And, when Bella stepped through the fire into to the familiar old house and her grandmother's waiting arms, she began to cry again, something that had happened a lot lately.

Grandmother, looking alarmed, asked her many questions, hugged and reassured her many times.

"It's f-fine, r-really… It's just… just, so _overwhelming_." She said into Grandmother's shoulder.

Grandmother helped her out the door, down the rounded stone path, and over the soft sand and tall grasses to the sea.

Bella calmed immediately, drinking in the salty air and drawing a bit of energy from the swelling waves. She kicked off her shoes, slipped off her skirt, shook out her cloak and draped it around her shoulders. Stepping into the water made her sigh and realise how tense her shoulders were.

"Be careful dear." Said her Grandmother's soft voice. "Get back before sunset."

Bella looked up; the sun was still behind her to the east. She had time.

Pulling up her hood she dove, shifting and giggling to herself at the sensation.

She swam hard towards the deeper waters, and dove after a dark, shifting shape.

As it turned out, Bella had found her great aunt, Aherin, who led her back to the colony, a mix of seals and Selkie, who got along and hunted together. The ones Bella was really concerned with were her cousins: Niamh, Guerin, Maxwell and Nora, Helene, Keinith, Gernaim and little Sibvon.

Niamh, her favorite, began to cry when they saw each other, and they circled each other, weaving around in the water, chortling with happiness.

They went hunting, as best as young seals could, and managed to catch a few things, but mainly, they called back and forth, playing games like 'Marco Polo' and catch-me-if-you-can!

Later, when they had tired themselves out, they basked in the lowering sun, while the elder seals told stories, of adventure and tragedy, romance and conflict, and of beautiful seafaring humans that enchanted one of their number away. Bella convinced her mother's mother*** to tell her parent's story, one she had heard so often, she could whisper along.

 _~ Once, a long time, not so long ago,~_ she began in Fey, _~there was a beautiful Selkie, with a pelt as silver as the moon. She was a curious one, always off on a search for a new Song. Her voice could change the tides when she sang, and the winds up above._

 _~ Now, one dark night in the middle of winter, a foul storm was brewing, and the waves were as high as I've ever seen. The clouds were roilling, water poured down, while lightning shot from the sky and thunder called from the heavens. The mightiest of winds was blowing, from the mainland out to sea, and on that fateful night, a wizard was on a mission._

 _~This wizard's talent was in brewing spells, and on this occasion, a brother of his was deadly ill, so he had brewed the only magics to save him._

 _~And so, he was flying through the night on a broom, to save his kin, when the storm blew him off course and he found himself above water instead of land, and very, very lost._

 _~His eyes were drooping, and head was aching, and he dropped closer and closer to the waters we call our home. The Selkie, who had always wondered at the land above, saw this wizard, this_ man _, and knew at once of all his troubles. Just as a wave took him under, she bore him up, and pulled him towards land, as well as his-_

 _~ Magic cure!~_ Chourused all the children, including Bella.

 _~ Very good. What else did he need to save his brother?~_

 _~The flying broom!~_

 _~Exactly! So she pulled him, the magic, and the broom toward the mainland, laboring through the waves._

 _~Finally, they got there, and the Selkie slipped off her cloak and pulled the wizard onto land. She woke him, and told him what happened. He thanked her over and over, and told her about his brother, and promised to bring her gifts of thanks once he saved him. She was moved by his dedication and valor, and he by her kindness and courage._

 _~ And so, as he took off into the calming sky, and she sat on the rocks to wait, they both realized that perhaps they knew what it was like to fall in love. ~_

 **The end.**

 **Well, not really. So, there's a bit of family back story, Bella accidentally getting inducted into the Slytherin mafia, makes some kind of friends, there's some book scenes, and character development (can you tell I hate pansy? She reminds me of someone.)**

 **It's not even Hallow'en yet, so it's going to be an exciting year.**

 **I'm trying to edit better, plz tell me if my writing's improved? Worsened? Was if really bad? Plz tell me!**

 **Lyra**

 **0 0 0**

 **NOTES:**

*It is cannon that there are about 1000 students in Hogwarts regularly, so there should be about 250 kids in each house. As there is about 9-12 kids in each house in Harry/Bella's year, I'm making the depressing assumption that in the last few years of the first war, families were being killed on a regular basis, as well as young adults, so there were less babies being born. This applies to basically Bella's year and the two years above her.

SO, the Slytherin council makes up about 32% of the Slytherin population, making it include about 80 kids out of the 250, and seven of those kids are Quidditch Team.

** Cluich is pronounced [KUOO-itch]. It is my invention of a wizarding version of poker. It literally translates to 'gamble', and is played with a deck of 73 cards.

The suits:

Wands=Clubs

Cauldrons=Spades

Hats=Hearts

Each suit includes 18 cards:

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Mage=Jack, Warlock= Queen, and Sorcerer= King

*** Selkie, like seals, usually don't have an entirely permanent mate, so normally, the lineage is matriarchal. (Traced by the mother)

Elizabella Thorne was a full Selkie, and therefore is traced this way. ALSO: Thorne is the surname of this particular colony of Selkie, and Elizebella is was her given name.


	8. A Visitation

**This took a really long time, so I'm sorry 'bout that, but it was rather complicated and differently paced than other chapters. ALSO: THE NEW FANTASTIC BEASTS TRAILER IS AMAZING! I've got some ideas to write in, as I'm basically considering the whole Fantastic Beasts Series canon, and therefore, who knows? Maybe there'll be thestral-drawn FLYING carriages somewhere in here. I'm really sorry bout how long this took again, but I hope you like it!**

 **I don't own anything Harry Potter, except my OCs, wish I did tho.**

Chapter 7 - A Visitation

Bella couldn't believe that she had been at Hogwarts for almost two months when Lucy told her. It was the Monday before Samhain and Hallowe'en, and Bella was late to double Transfiguration. She had run to the library to find a book on biting bluebells, as she had forgotten her Herbology essay, due later that day.

She rushed to the classroom door and gasped with relief that her classmates were still waiting outside the door.

Tracey and Daphne were whispering furiously back and forth while Pansy was telling a story to Millicent, Vera, and the boys. Bella chose to stand with Rachel, who she had become closer with, as Tracey spent more time with Pansy.

"Are you done with the Herbology essay?" Whispered Bella.

Rachel nodded. "It's not very good though."

"Can I borrow it? Please?" Bella looked at the other girl pleadingly. "I won't copy - I just need a bit of a reference!"

Rachel shrugged, pulling it out of her bag and handing it to her. "You better hand me it back at the end of class though!" She hissed.

"Don't worry, I -" Bella broke off as Professor McGonagall opened the door.

'I will.' She mouthed at Rachel, and slipped past the Professor, finding a seat in the back.

Transfiguration had quickly become the class Bella dreaded the most. She was terrible at it, rivaling even Neville, who was bad at everything except for Herbology, and she had yet to achieve a grade higher than an A.

And, to make it worse, she had to finish her essay during the two hour class, in which they would be attempting to turn tweezers to hair-pins.

Bella sighed and pulled the _Magical Garden Plants: A Guide_ book onto her lap under the desk, and lay Rachel's essay on one page.

There was a thump, and Bella looked up to see Daphne Greengrass sitting next to her, looking disgruntled.

Bella furrowed her brow. Daphne normally sat next to Tracey, and she only talked to Bella occasionally; usually they just exchanged glances when Pansy was being particularly annoying.

Looking around, Bella saw that Tracey was sitting next to a victorious looking Pansy, with her nose turned up, seeming disgruntled as well.

"Did you two -" Began Bella hesitantly.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Said Daphne, sounding surprisingly shakey. "Are you working on Herbology?" She didn't wait. "I'll help."

So, through the beginning of the lesson, Daphne whispered a summary of the uses of biting bluebells, and Bella scribbled her first two paragraphs under the guise of taking notes. She finished the next few paragraphs using the book while Daphne took down Transfiguration notes.

Bella finished the essay just as Professor McGonagall began to hand out tweezers, and hastily shoved the parchment and book into her bag, feeling guilty.

By the end of the lesson, Bella had only made the silver tweezers slightly brown, while Daphne had made hers resemble a hairpin with the colour of wood bark. It seemed that the rest of the class had managed to make a significant change in theirs as well. Bella glared at her tweezers, frustrated.

Just as she was leaving the classroom next to Daphne, Professor McGonagall called her back, and Bella could tell that this time, it was not about swimming in the lake.

The Professor looked over her rectangle glasses and said, "Miss Dagworth, to be completely blunt: you have yet to transfigure anything completely, even when given extra time. It is rather worrying."

Bella hung her head.

"Perhaps you can tell me why?" She said sharply.

Bella stared at her feet, hoping for an escape route to reveal itself.

"Miss Dagworth, it would be beneficial if you could tell me the problem."

She looked up far enough to see the Professors hands steepled together on the desk.

"I don't understand." She whispered finally.

"Well that much I can see!" Exclaimed Professor McGonagall, and Bella flinched slightly. "What exactly don't you understand?" She said more quietly.

"I don't understand what we're 'sposed to be doing." Said Bella, chancing a glance up at the Professor. "In Charms, we add properties to something. In Potions we create abilities from objects, and in Defense, we're _supposed_ to be learning how to deflect or undo the effects of dark magic. But in Transfiguration…" She looked imploringly at McGonagall. "I don't know what we're doing."

McGonagall had a strange look on her face, and she leant forward. "I think it would be best if you take a few extra lessons."

Bella deflated. "As in… Remedial lessons?"

McGonagall nodded. "I've also offered them to Mr. Longbottom, but his grandmother refused on his behalf."

"Am I really that bad?"

McGonagall sighed. "It is not a level of skill, it is a level of potential. Potential that you most certainly have, yet need to work towards, perhaps more than others."

Bella nodded mutely, suddenly remembering what Elliot Sterling had said at the beginning of the year: get help when you need it.

Professor McGonagall continued, "Professor Allsopp is willing to help you on Tuesdays, during afternoon free." She nodded again, feeling miserable. "Miss Dagworth! This is good for you, don't look so bitter!"

Bella looked determinedly out the window.

"Well, I will write a pass to Professor Sprout, and will assume you will make your way to classroom 7B tomorrow after classes to see Professor Allsopp." The professor handed Bella a slip of parchment and she made to leave.

"It would also be quite benifical for you to pay attention in class - you might understand more than you think. Though you might as well turn in that Herbology essay, you worked very hard on it today." Called Professor McGonagall from her desk.

Bella ran.

0 0 0

The rest of Monday and Tuesday were miserable for Bella. Tracey was angry at her because she sat with Daphne, Draco was being especially obnoxious, and the remedial Transfiguration lesson seemed to speed the clock up towards it.

Much to her surprise, Daphne sat with her as she struggled through the Transfiguration theory homework and helped check her work. While Bella appreciated this, Lucy _had_ warned her not to get on the bad sides of too many people, and Tracey certainly wasn't talking to her anymore. So, during the breaks, Bella and Daphne sat with the other houses; mainly Lily and Padma, but also Parvati, Sue, Lisa, Hannah and Susan, Fay Dunbar, Oliver Rivers, Megan Jones, Roger Malone, and on rare occasion, Anthony Goldstein.

The next two days progressed, and Bella couldn't help feel miserable about the dreaded lesson.

After a long, very boring History of Magic class, Daphne (who was the only one apart from Lily that Bella had told about the remedial lessons), walked with her to the end of the Transfiguration wing, and stood next to her as she knocked on the door.

The door was opened by an older Professor that Bella had seen at the teacher's table but never met. She wore silk-like lavender robes and her wild salt-and-pepper hair was pinned in an elaborate loop on the back of her head.

"Hello!" She said in a quiet voice. "You must be Sabella. Come in."

Bella glanced at Daphne, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged.

Upon entering, Bella found that it was a very small classroom with only two windows, four desks and a teacher's desk. She pulled out a chair and sat.

The Professor closed the door and (to Bella's great surprise) hopped up onto her desk to sit.

"I am Professor Mirren Allsopp. Minerva has explained your lack of a grasp on Transfiguration theory." Bella nodded miserably. "She also spoke of your understanding of other subjects' theory. Could you elaborate?"

Looking at her hands on the scuffed wood of her desk, Bella spoke monotonously. "In Potions, we brew magic together to create an effect, in Herbology, we take care of plants with magical properties, in Defense Against the Dark Arts, we're supposed to learn how to repel or undo dark magic, and in Charms, we're just adding properties to something."

Professor Allsopp, who had been nodding along to each explanation, said 'Ah!' and pointed at her when she got to Charms. "Charms is the closest branch of magic to Transfiguration, but Charms is much less complex, so that is where we start… You ought to be at Levitation Spells by now, aren't you?" Bella nodded. "So - in a Levitation Spell, you are adding the ability to fly to an object's list of properties, you understand that?"

"Yes…" Said Bella, fully putting that idea together.

"Now… Have you heard of a Vanishing Spell? They're more advanced."

At her nod, Professor Allsopp continued. "That is also a charm. _Much_ more complex, as instead of adding a property, you are taking away most of its existence; but it is still a charm."

Bella, who had no idea where this train of reasoning was going, nodded again, wedging her hands under her legs and leaning forward a bit.

"As a general principle, a Charm adds or takes away a property of an object or a concept. Transfiguration, on the other hand, is neither giving or taking away properties, but instead, changing or rearranging the properties of an object or a concept."

"Oh." Said Bella, rather stupidly.

The woman smiled. "Does that clear things up a bit?"

Nodding slowly, Bella said, "I think so…"

Professor Allsopp hopped back off her desk with much more agility than she should have possessed. She went around her desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out…. A match.

Bella slumped onto the desk at once. _Fantastic_. She though.

"Oh, don't look like that Sabella! This time, I think you'll get it rather quickly." Said the Professor.

Bella barely contained a snort, but managed to avoid it by giving a dry cough.

The match was set down in front of her, and she pulled out her wand -

Asharp voice cut her off. "Wait one moment." Bella looked up. Professor Allsopp was looking at her sternly, and her hair was suddenly a very dark silver.

Bella gasped. "You're a Metamorphmagus?!" Professor Allsopp's eyebrows (now matching her hair) shot up. "I'm surprised you can identify it. I can control it if you find it startling."

Shaking her head rapidly, Bella replied, "No, no, that's wicked! My Auntie's got a friend who can do it too, that's why I know."

"Really." Allsopp frowned. "There aren't many of us around. Is she a Black relative?"

Bella frowned as well. "I'm not sure. Her surname's Tonks."

The Professor's face lit up. "That'll be Andromeda's girl! I haven't seen her since she graduated."

A grin spread across Bella's face before she remembered that she was supposed to be Transfiguring the match, and was halfway through the incantation before Professor Allsopp stopped her again.

"Put your wand down. First, I want you to remember what a needle looks like. Don't imagine it - know it."

Bella screwed her eyes shut and focused on the last time she had seen a proper needle - when Poppy had been magically sending it to work on an old pair of Auntie's robes. She nodded when she could remember it almost perfectly.

"Now, you have the image of the needle." Bella nodded. "Picture it here. On the desk. Make your mind understand that it can be here."

When she thought she was ready, she opened her eyes very slowly, clenching her wand even though she had put it down.

"Image, indication, incantation." Said Allsopp.

She shut her eyes again, remembered her needle, pointed her wand at the match and said, "Morphus!"

There was a strange tug in her fingers, quite like when she hadn't visited the lake in a while, and the match began to gleam like metal. Bella frowned and focused on the shape - pointy for Circe's sake! - and spoke again. "Morphus."

One end sharpened to a tip, and a dent began to form on the other end. She scrunched up her face and focused on the eye of the needle - making it an actual hole.

"Brilliant!" Exclaimed Professor Allsopp. "You can stop now…"

Bella stopped. "I did it?" She said in surprise. "I did it!"

"Yes you did." The Professor said gently. "I think we ought to try the other Transfiguration assignments you've done so far."

And so they did. It took Bella much longer to change a needle to a match, instead of the other way around, but she managed it, and then started on a paper weight to an ink pot.

Bella left her remedial lesson feeling surprisingly happy with herself, and didn't even bother going to the common room before heading to dinner. She sat next to Daphne, as Tracey was glaring at her and Rachel seemed preoccupied. They talked for all of dinner, and in her lighter mood, Bella found they had more in common than she had thought.

0 0 0

"What?!" Exclaimed Bella. "Sir, I _need_ to go home for Samhain! I need to be with them!"

Professor Snape, who she had never spoken directly to, except to use his office fireplace to Floo home the second time she went, raised a dark eyebrow. She had clearly overstepped a line.

"Ms. Dagworth…" He drawled. "I am aware of your… background… and therefore your religious beliefs, but I highly doubt it is necessary for you to leave the school to attend a ritual."

Bella, who could feel tears itching at her eyes, said more quietly, "Sir… you're aware of my being a Selkie, and therefore that it is, ah… practically obligatory to attend my family ritual."

Snape scowled, making Bella felt the need to run, and she took a step back from his dark wood desk. "If you did not notice, I _said_ that there is no need to _leave the school_ to attend such a ritual. I can tell you that the ritual that takes place here is just as worthy as one of the Seafolk."

Bella, feeling extremely embarrassed and rather intimated, nodded. She didn't dare say anything else, for fear that she'd overstayed her welcome, if she was even welcome in the first place.

Then, less sharply, Snape said, "I do hope you're getting better with Transfiguration, your grades are beginning to be worrying."

"I'm working at it…" Bella mumbled.

At his nod, she fled the office, back down the corridor, round four bends (right, left, left, right), down a flight of stairs and into the common room. Scanning the room, she found Lucy and her friends in their usual perch in the loft, sitting in a little grouping of armchairs. Remembering that it was not polite to sprint across a room, Bella rushed across the room and hurried up the loft stairs instead.

"I'm. An. Idiot." She gasped.

Lucy looked up. "Do tell?"

She patted a pouf next to her chair, and Bella plopped down.

"I've infuriated Snape already!" Bella exclaimed.

She told Lucy (and Rose, Corrith, and Jocie) about how she went home once a month to visit family, how she had assumed that she would be allowed to go home for the second time this month to be part of her family's Samhain ritual, how she had almost yelled at Professor Snape when he told her she was only allowed to leave the school once a month, and about what Snape had said about a ritual at Hogwarts.

Lucy snorted. "By the gods! I thought you had a bit more sense than that!"

Hanging her head, Bella nodded. "So did I."

Rose, who was still in fits at the idea of a little first year furious at Snape, choked out, "It - it gets w-worse, Bella!"

Bella straightened up in fear. "What?"

Jocie sighed. "There is a Samhain ritual dat takes place 'ere, out on 'ee edge o' tha Forbidd'n Forest - we're not really 'sposed to be ou' at night, but tha teachers allow it cause it'sa religious holiday, and somm'a them observe it, too. Tha problem is tha… Well - Snape's tha Rite Leader." For all her years in Cumbria, Bella only barely understood the older girl. She did understand enough that a 'meep!' of terror escaped her throat. "I'm going to die." She whispered in horror.

Lucy and her friends all laughed. Jocie snorted and said, "Nah, I doubt it, 'es not that bad, Snape. I'll bet he'll give you a bit o' shi -"

A hiss that sounded a bit like a goose stopped Jocie, and Lucy snapped, "She's - a - firstie!"

Jocie pulled her long plait over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Fine, Luce. Snape'll give ya a bit o' trouble, but he's not going to kill ya."

Bella was hardly comforted by this, and only after many other reassurances did she calm down enough to ask about the ritual properly.

As if turned out, it was a proper Samhain ritual, taking place around midnight on the edge of the Forbidden Forest by the lake, and from Corrith and Lucy's accounts (they were the only other religious ones in the group) Snape called on the Light, Dark, and Grey powers, apart from the goddess of death, Bās, the god of the spirits, Taibhse, and the wind god, Gaoth. Bella, who's Seafolk family worshiped with the Grey magics, had only been to a Balanced ritual, not a neutral one, and couldn't help being curious what one was like.

The Sharrow family rarely turned away from the old Light Rituals, but Corrith's family, the Elphicks, were like the Thorne-Seals (Bella's mother's family), sticking determinedly to Grey practices but dabbling in Light and Dark rituals all the while.

Lucy promised to take Bella to the ritual that night, and Corrith (the quietest of the group) promised to wake her if she fell asleep before then.

After that, Bella actually managed to finish most of her work, except for a DADA essay that she was avidly putting off, and only went to sleep that night with slight unease.

0 0 0

The first years woke on Hallowe'en morning to the glorious smell of pumpkin and spice wafting down from the kitchens a floor above them. Bella and Daphne arrived at breakfast just as the post flew in, and a strange looking package was dropped at the Gryffindor table.

"Is that a -" Bella began to Daphne.

Her question was answered before she could finish. "That's a broom Potter's got!" Exclaimed a nearby Ravenclaw.

Bella's jaw dropped and Daphne gasped beside her.

Many people stood up in their seats to see what it was, and it took the two girls a while to actually sit down. Barely moments later, Harry and Ron Weasley left the hall excitedly, and Bella saw Draco and his goons hurrying to intercept them.

She sighed and glanced at Daphne, who looked resigned. "He's going to start losing us points soon if he keeps badgering Potter." Daphne muttered.

With a nod and a snort, Bella began buttering her toast with a seasonal pumpkin butter.

Regretfully, they made their way to their first class with Rachel and Millie, which was unfortunately Defense Against the Dark Arts. The day dragged on, even though the teachers seemed to be in a particularly good mood for the holiday.

The only really exciting thing was their double Charms class with the Hufflepuffs, where they finally put the Levitation Charm to practice.

Daphne and Bella were sharing a feather, and they took turns swishing and flicking, and saying 'Wingardium Leviosa!'.

For the first few tries, neither of them did anything to the feather, but on her fourth try, Daphne managed to levitate the feather up to eye level, at which Professor Flitwick squeakily congratulated her, and awarded three points to Slytherin for being the first in the class to do it. Bella managed it a while later, but got the feather to go up much higher, to which Daphne stuck her tongue out at.

After Charms (which was the last class) Bella and Daphne hurried out before they had to cross paths with Pansy and Tracey, and pleasantly ran into Lily, Sue Li, Lisa Turpin, and the Patil Twins instead, who informed them that Hermione Granger had been crying in a toilet since the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw Charms class early in the day. Apparently, a Hufflepuff called Sally Smith had tried to comfort her, but Hermione had yelled for her to go away.

Bella thought that this didn't sound much like the Hermione Granger she had met, and said so, dismissing it as a bit of ridiculous gossip. Lisa, Parvati and Lily rose to the challenge and began exchanging increasingly ridiculous (supposedly true) pieces of gossip as they headed to the library in a swarm.

None of them, even the Ravenclaws, managed to finished any homework in their excitement. The Hallowe'en Feast was legendary, and all of them were looking forward to it immensely, while Bella, Daphne, and Sue were all looking forward to the ritual, much later that night. Their group, like many others, were eventually herded from the library by an irate Madam Pince.

The feast was, in fact, just as good as the older students said, perhaps even better, thought Bella as she walked through the huge doors into the Hall.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling, while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles of the floating Jack o' Lanterns stutter. The ghosts soared through the air, giving off their eerie glow, and next to the Slytherin table, a band of skeletons danced a jig. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

Bella and Daphne were giggling at an extremely bad joke Blaise had made about skeletons, when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the Hall and up towards the Head Table, terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore and gasped (completely stammer-less), "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know."

Then he sank on the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers from the end of Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Bella, who had whipped her wand out a few seconds before, looked around wildly for the nearest Prefect.

Daphne, looking terrified, her skin a pasty white, was clutching the sleeve of Bella's robes, her school hat crushed under her arm.

They, along with all the other first years, jumped a foot in the air when Michael Roden's deep voice whispered in their ears, "Get to the right side chamber, two minutes - go!"

At this point, Bella was resigned to taking odd, obscure, or strange instructions from the older students of Slytherin, so she simple hurried over to the side chamber, pulling a still-terrified Daphne with her. They met with Roden and Farley, and were led on a labyrinthine course to the common room, supposedly to avoid the troll.

After many tense corner turns, they made it back to the common room alive, and found that the majority of the house was already there and accounted for.

Elliot Sterling jumped (rather impressively) onto a table and announced that the feast would be brought down to eat, which received a smattering of applause and whoops of gladness, he grinned and took a bow, then jumped off his table, almost flattening Angelina Barkova, the cards girl. Bella doubted it was an accident.

The food was brought in, and after filling their plates, Bella and Daphne dodged Pansy and her group, and dragged Rachel over to sit with them by Lucy and her friends.

They had a very enjoyable evening, considering that a troll was presumably loose in the castle; mainly wondering at how a troll got in, if it was a joke, and many other things. Bella, Daphne and Rachel told Lucy and her friends about the others in their year, all the gossip, family drama, and petty fights (excluding Daphne and Tracey's).

Bella was absently thinking again on how a troll could have gotten in, when Daphne told the older girls about their first flying class, specifically Draco Malfoy's involvement.

"... and then, he goes and sabotages the race!" She finished.

Lucy, Rose and Corrith were scowling, and Jocie looked downright affronted. "'E can't go actin' like tha - he'll get 'imself an 'is family in bad waters politically."

Now paying attention again, Bella nodded. "That's what I thought!" She dropped her voice to a whisper, leaning forward and looking around a bit. "I mean, I can see that we're not 'sposed to get on his bad side - his family's quite influential, but if he goes bad mouthing important people, he's bound to get himself in trouble."

Daphne was nodding too, and she said, "What my father always tells us is, as long as we don't ruin ourselves, we can't be ruined." Lucy looked at her strangely, and she added. "I'm not saying we're invincible, but no one in my immediate family had done anything bad, and father will be head of our family once my grandmother dies. Malfoy, on the other hand - his father has more enemies than we have, and if he doesn't watch his mouth, well…."

The older girls were taking this much more seriously than any adult Bella had ever spoken to. Lucy nodded absently. "It's not just him, it's Parkinson and the others too. We're trying to fix our reputation, Slytherin, we have been the past few years, and if they're too set in their ways to see that… It's a problem. We ought to talk to Elliot."

Daphne seemed even more surprised at how the girls were taking it. "They're just being a bit stupid, aren't they? It's not that bad - they're always like this, I've known most of them forever."

Rachel nodded from beside her.

"That's the problem." Supplied Rose. "We need to fix it - I agree with Luce."

"I don't want them to be angry at us, though!" Exclaimed Rachel.

Lucy cast a furtive glance at the other first years, who were crowded by a window, pointing as a huge tentacle slipped passed. "Oh… Don't worry - we'll figure it something out."

Bella decided not to speak. She didn't want to make the other first years angry at her, but she wanted her adopter angry at her even less. On the other hand, Daphne was looking stubborn, and opened her mouth again, until Bella gave her a look that surprisingly kept her silent.

There was a moment of silence, till Rose exclaimed, "Have you seen that boy who exchanged here from that French school? He's real thick!"

Corrith groaned. "For Merlin's sake, Rose…"

"He's just got sorted, I think he's a Ravenclaw, our year." Said Lucy absently. "You're going to make a move then, Rose?"

"Ohh… If only all those bleeding Raven's weren't already all over him…"

Bella flushed and grinned; the French boy really was quite attractive. The murmurs of conversation were blurring into a fuzzy blur of sound, her eyes were very heavy, and the puffy sofa she was sharing with Daphne and Rachel was ever so comfortable…

"Wakey-wakey!" Someone said softly. "It's half-til-midnight - we've got to go!"

It was Corrith, her straight brown hair falling from underneath a proper wide brim witch's hat.

Bella's legs couldn't seem to unfold from underneath her, and she barely managed to extract herself from the sofa.

"Oh no!" How could she have fallen asleep? She'd promised herself that she wouldn't! "Where's my robes, my cloak?"

"Here, Belle." Lucy was holding Bella's things, already dressed traditionally herself.

As quick as she could, Bella pulled on her robes and wrapped her cloak around herself for warmth. Just as she realized that she didn't have a proper hat apart from her school one, Jocie handed her one; a black, huge brimmed, pointed hat with a slightly crooked top.

As they rushed through the halls, as quietly as it was possible to be, Corrith told her that Daphne had been dragged away to the ritual place by her older sister a few minutes before, and Daphne insisted that they hurry up so that she wasn't submit to that much torture.

They tiptoed past paintings and peered around corners, the way illuminated by the eerie blue-white light of Lucy's wand. Bella was informed that it didn't really matter if they were caught (unless it was by Filch), but it was much more fun to try not to get caught at all. So, they whispered and giggled, hearts beating fast as they slipped out the main doors and and around the greenhouses, down towards the Lake and the Forbidden Forest, where the great tall wall began.

Other small groups of students were headed in the same direction, a few teachers here and there, and sometimes, things that were not quite human, which Bella could only see from the corner of her eye. Samhain was a very strange time.

Bella could now see the flickering of a conjured fire, something that made her shudder a bit, and the shifting shadows of people gathered at a spot were the trees went all the way down to the water line. She could feel the magic here. It pressed against her just a bit heavier than the air and swirled inside of her lungs.

She looked around, suddenly feeling nervous, and saw that Lucy was holding a ratty old teddy bear, and Corrith held a beaded necklace. Bella somehow knew that they were belongings of deceased loved ones, and her hand crept to her neck and grasped the locket as they entered the trees.

In the middle of a clearing, a huge mirror with an ornamental frame lay flat on the ground, a bronze bowl of icey-white fire hovering above it a few inches. Many other people, all dressed in traditional black robes and hats, swarmed around the side of the mirror that was closer to Bella, and on the other, illuminated weirdly by the fire, was a platform on which stood one Severus Snape. She doubted he really needed this, as he towered over most everyone anyway, but she supposed that it was an old Landfolk tradition of some sort.

His usual black-green teaching robes had been traded with a set of even more menacing pure black ones that were embroidered with silver that danced in the shifting light.

Someone tapped Bella on the shoulder, and she jumped and spun.

It was Daphne, her face hidden by her hat, and hands covered in fingerless gloves.

"There you are!" Whispered the other girl. "It's going to start soon - we ought to find places."

Bella nodded.

In most group rituals, the participants stood in a circle to perform whatever was necessary to call upon gods, spirits, powers, or magics. Here, Daphne found them a spot nearby her older sister, and next to Lucy and Corrith.

The people were quieting as the half-moon crept into the middle of the sky. The stars here were different than the stars where Bella's family lived, but, like everywhere, as the true Samhain time grew nearer, the stars seemed to stoop closer to the ground, and the sky felt even more expansive, almost suffocating. The blackness reined around, and the only thing that broke it was the pinprick stars, the miniscule windows of the castle, and the fire in front of them.

Very suddenly, there was silence.

And then, Snape spoke, his voice like a growl. "By the binding Powers of the god Gaoth, may we call to the magicks and find the potent to speak in the language of spirits!"

The white fire roared and jumped higher, small jets of flame leaping off it.

Bella clapped her hand to her side and jumped back, though not as far as she should have, and she suddenly realized that she couldn't leave the circle.

The jets of flame split again and again, and one moved towards Professor Snape, slipping up to his head, and simply melting into him. Tongues of flame moved to each of the people in the circle, hovered above their heads for a second, then faded into their foreheads. None of the tongues of flame approached Bella, and a minute later she found out why: Snape began to speak, not in English, but in Fey. It was not the true Old Language, as it was spoken humanly, but it was as close as possible. "Thig a-mach spioradan, chin na feadhainn de do dh'beatha, thing a-mach!"

Bella knew perfectly well what was said. ~Come forth spirits, to the ones of your life, come forth!~

The magic swirled in the circle, and words left Bella's lips in response, united with the other voices, "Thig a-mach, O spiritoir, thing a-mach!"

Snape spoke again, and his black eyes were beginning to glow. "Cùm ám facal de na Maighstir de na an athlete bheatha, Taibhse, gu sign anns a'saoghal de na beò."

Again, Bella internally respoke the words in the proper way: ~Carry the words of the Master of the next life, Taibhse, to us in the world of the living.~

And again, the words of response slipped out of her without instruction. "Toirt an sgoinneil facal et lèirsinn de na an athlete bheatha."

~Bring the great word and foresight of the next world.~

A gust of wind swept from the lake, through the trees, and made the fire dance higher. Bella tried to step back, but found she no longer could.

Something seemed to whisper, 'It won't hurt you', but Bella could never shake her hatred of fire, and wouldn't now.

After a long pause, the glowing black figure that was Snape stepped forward, holding what appeared to be a scarf, and said (in English), "We give you our vessels for your visit."

He draped the scarf delicately onto the mirror's edge.

Someone to his right stepped forward and placed something on the mirror, then the next person, and the next. Daphne, on Bella's left, stepped forward and placed a pocket watch on the mirror, visibly trembling.

Bella's feet carried her forward as she unfastened her necklace, and carefully placed her mother's ring on the mirror, then re-clasped the chain, hugging her locket close to her.

Once every person in the circle had given a vessel for the spirits, they, as one, turned to Professor Snape and prayed the Calling. A swirl of many languages filled the air; French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese, and more magical languages, Greek and Latin, Old Arabic, Frankian, and Walish. Bella spoke with them, the silvery sound of Fey mixing with the others:

~O flame, that burns so bright, be a beacon on this night. Light the path for all the dead, that they may see now what's ahead. Let us see them one last time, before they are led to the next place to shine. Guide them until Bās may take their hands. And with your light, bring them peace, that we may rest and they sleep forever.~

It seemed for a moment, that the world had stopped, and perhaps it had; Bella wasn't sure.

Very suddenly, the fire was sucked inwards, past its carrier, and into the mirror itself. The mirror was glowing blue, as though about to crack from the heat, and the glass around the edges was beginning to crack, slow, small fissures forming from out to in. And then very suddenly, it happened.

A pale, whispered shape appeared on the other side of the glass, clearly a woman, and began to poke at the cacks with her barely-existent fingers. The cracks began to mend ever so slowly, melting back into each other, and finally, the woman stepped through.

Her form dissipated a little as she did, but the spirit seemed unperturbed. She stood (if you could call it standing) on the mirror, and bent to brush her fingers along the scarf at Snape's feet.

The Professor was for the first time Bella had ever seen, flabbergasted. His expression was a mix of shock and something else, that Bella only vaguely remembered from a summer day, many years ago, when her father had looked at her mother.

There was another figure behind the glass, a man, older than the last spirit, who heaved himself through the mirror, and walked towards the gaping Professor to Snape's right.

A little boy, a tall woman, a pudgy cat, a huge dog, and more, all slipped from the next realm to the real one.

Daphne was trembling worse than ever when an aristocratic old man stepped elegantly from the mirror. His face was well worn and open, he seemed to be wearing dress robes, and he also seemed to be especially see-through.

The man (who Bella guessed was Daphne's grandfather), glided to his pocket watch, picked it up, and turned to smile at Daphne.

Bella was barely paying attention. All she could do was stare at the curvy, smiley woman still in the mirror. Her straight hair was braided over her shoulder, and Bella knew that in real life, it would be shining silver-brown.

Very carefully, the woman knocked against the glass, and tentatively poked her way through the mirror, making the glass ripple strangely like water. She stood upon the glass, and began to walk towards Bella, picking up her ring on the way.

As the woman reached Bella, she slipped the ring onto her finger, and reached out, her hand close Bella's face.

"Mum?" The word escaped Bella's lips very slowly, and she was suddenly aware of the hot tears on her face.

The spirit (because Bella refused the hope that her mother was even partially there), now reached for the locket that was still hanging outside of her robes.

As the spirit's finger brushed the locket, it suddenly grew warm, and when Bella looked down at it, she found it was glowing with white light.

Bella looked at her mother. "Mumma…"

The chortling bark of a seal answered: "I cannot stay for long."

"Why did you have to die?" Bella stared at her mother longingly, a deep hurt in her bones.

Elizabella was crying suddenly as well. "Without a mate, a pure Selkie cannot live on land."

Bella knew this, of course, but somehow it still seemed unimaginable. She sank to her knees, wishing that she could just hold onto her mother, just for a minute.

"Why - why couldn't you go back to the sea? Why couldn't you just live?" Her voice broke.

Elizabella sat cross-legged on the ground, "Because I love him. I love my Ernest."

"What about me?!"

There was a long pause. "I am always with you. I would never truly leave you."

Anger was suddenly filling Bella's chest. "You did leave me! It's - it's Auntie who taught me to fly, it's Grandmother who's trying to teach me French, and Oma Merkel who taught me to brew! It's certainly not you who waved me off the platform or taught me to ride a bike!"

Her mother wore a pained look. "You know that's not how it works, poppet. If I had gone home, I wouldn't be able to leave again -"

Bella cut across her. "But you'd be there!"

Elizabella was sobbing now. "Darling, I have to go…"

Lunging forward, grasping for her mother, Bella cried, "NO! Not again! Mumma - don't leave again!"

The spirit was fading, the essence of it being drawn back towards the mirror. "I'm not leaving you Sabella. I couldn't…"

Bella crawled after her. "Give me your cloak, mum - you can stay here! Just give me it!"

The barely-there spirit shook its head. "It's not goodbye, darling."

"Promise?" Whispered Bella.

"Of course."

The wedding ring clattered back onto the glass of the mirror.

0 0 0

It could have been hours, or perhaps merely minutes that Bella lay on the ground. She thought, for just a moment, that she felt the warmth of a kind hand on her shoulder and the smell of the sea around her.

And then, someone was picking her up. But she didn't want to move, and tried to shrug away the hand on her arm.

"No." She would not move. Not when her mother had been so close.

"Bella - come on, get up." It was Lucy again. "That's never happened before, it wasn't normal, and no one really knows what happened."

Bella wasn't even sure she was actually making any noise, but she spoke again. "No."

Lucy grabbed her arm again. "Really, Bella. Whatever that was was hard for everyone. We've got to go back to the castle."

The older girl heaved her up, and they both staggered. Bella finally looked around, and saw many others in tears, and quite a few people walking towards the castle with a glazed looked about them.

Lucy's face glimmered with rear tracks as well, but her voice was steady as she told Bella what was happening (to her knowledge). "Right, so having a fifth year adopter would help you out more, as we haven't covered ritual magics in arithmancy, and I'm in the less advanced class. But - I can tell this much: something happened tonight that messed with the normal patterns of a ritual. Maybe it was the position of the planets, the number of people involved, the favorably of the gods, the presence of a Fey… Whatever it was, it made the ritual much stronger. Usually, there's just a whisper of a spirit for each person, and a bit of foresight for the rest of the year, but this time - Bella? Are you alright?"

Bella had stopped dead.

"Circe, Herpo, and Morganna… It's because of me…" She whispered.

A horrible feeling of guilt was slipping up her back.

Lucy had turned again to face her. "What do you mean, Bella? You can't have -"

Her face turned white. "Are you… You can't be a -"

Was it possible that Bella's presence had actually changed things?

Bella looked towards the lake, black and cold in the dark distance.

The firm voice that was Lucy broke her from her thoughts. "Bella. Are you saying that - that you are a Fey?"

Slowly, she nodded her head.

She could feel Lucy staring at her.

"Right." Said Lucy, sounding taken aback. "Are you a full Fey?"

Shaking head.

"Half?"

Nod.

"Your mother then?"

Bella nodded again, amazed at how quickly her adopter was figuring things out, still refusing to look awayfrom the lake, though.

"Can you tell me what type? Just nod or shake. Are you… A skinwalker?"

Shake.

"Pixie?"

Shake.

"Mer?"

Shake.

"A… Veela?"

Bella looked back at Lucy. "No!"

Lucy scowled. "What then?"

She glanced at the sky quickly before finally saying, "My mum was a Selkie, alright?"

"Ah." Lucy said intelligently. "I can see why you keep it hushed up. No more Land Folk rituals for you, then."

And then, she led the way back up to the castle, Bella following in stunned silence.

~0~

 **That's it. I'm aware that was a horrible way to end a chapter, but idk at this point. Imma post this tomorrow bc I'm exhausted now, so if I missed a bunch of edits, /please/ tell me.**

 **Do you like? Do you hate it? If you like it keep reading, and if you don't, keep reading anyway so you have more material for hate comments!**

 **Next chapter is the first quidditch match, and I'm planning on adding a few head canons that I like, and some of my personal ones, if you want a head canon written in, tell meeee! Bella is also gonna find a pet next chapter, sooo hope you like….**

 **Byeeeee**

 **Lyra**


	9. The Quidditch Match

**This is the first time Bella opens up properly at school, and actually bonds with people, so I hope it's realistic.**

 **Also, I'm also making some small changes to Bella: I've already said she has a wonky accent from moving, but I'm also going to say that her time spent in the Orkneys had added to her weird speech patterns.**

 **IMPORTANT POINT: this story is AU because of the Dagworth-Granger family's existence. Bella's father and uncle fought in the first war, and Uncle James will fight again, along with Bella and Auntie Elena. They are the 'good Slytherins' and know how the enemy thinks. Because Dumbledore has them as well as Snape advising him, the second war is rather different than canon.**

 **Finally, I'd like to clarify something minor: when I've said Bella and Auntie's house is 'Up the road from the village' it means a bit further than you may think. The actual house that Bella lives in is One, Wansfell Holme, and it is currently/was on the market, so you can see pictures.**

 **Thanks, I won't talk anymore. Don't own HP, here we go:**

As November swung around, the weather turned bitterly cold; something Bella liked and Daphne despised. The mountains surrounding the school became icy grey and the lake glinted like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost, and one's breath could be seen in the dungeons.

Hagrid could be seen from the upper floors' classroom windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves and enormous beaver skin boots.

Apart from the sudden chill, the Quidditch season had also sprung onto them. On Saturday, the first match would take place between Gryffindor and Slytherin. There was also the news that Harry Potter would be playing Seeker for his house team, and it was all because of his miraculous dive for Neville's Remembrall during the first flying lesson.

In fact, it was after one of Bella's flying lessons that the Weasley twins dragged her into an empty classroom to talk, just days before the Quidditch match. She had been walking through the second level down from the main one, when Daphne had suddenly needed to use the toilet. Bella had been waiting outside when the twins had appeared seemingly from nowhere, grabbed her elbows, and pulled her over to a disused room.

"Shh!" Hissed the boy on her right.

"Wait - what? My… Friend is in the toilet! Where are we going?"

She was hushed again and pulled unceremoniously into the room.

The twin to her left (whom she was almost certain was Fred) grinned at her. "How are you? Slytherin still treating you well?"

She gaped at them. "You actually went to the bother of _kidnapping_ me to ask how I was?!" Bella exclaimed.

Fred made an overly offended face. "Of course, Bellie-Wellie! We needed to check up on you again!"

"But why though?" Bella asked, feeling rather befuddled.

It was the second time they'd spoken to her of their own free will, the first time being in the library, and involved them all being thrown head-first from it.

George grinned in place of his brother. "Because we care, of course!"

She stared at them.

"Well -" began Fred.

"We have decided, as we haven't got our sister to look out for this year -"

"And as you haven't got any siblings -"

"We'll look out for you!" Finished George.

"Oh." Said Bella, with a strange mixture of gratitude and annoyance. "That's very nice of you."

Fred sighed with mocking relief. "I'm glad you approve - we've already owled mum with a request to adopt you…"

"Not you too!" Exclaimed Bella.

George's face of confusion was rather hilarious. "Do you regularly get adopted into random, large families?"

She grinned. "No - well, only recently…"

And so, she told them about becoming a member of the Slytherin Council. It was actually very satisfying to tell them, as the only other people she had told were her Uncle James, and Emily, both through owl. It was much better to have immediate responses to her story, instead of the customary day-wait for mail.

At the end, George was grinning from ear to ear, and Fred was cackling with laughter.

"So -" Fred chortled, "- you're telling me, that you accidentally got yourself inducted into the Slytherin Mafia?"

Bella snorted ungainly. "It's not really a _Mafia_!"

"It's the 'leading body' of Slytherin - also known as the little league of organized wizarding crime!" George exclaimed. "If that's not a Mafia, I don't know what is!"

A grudging smile was spreading across Bella's face. "I 'sposed it is… It doesn't really guarantee safety though - the other day this sixth year, I think his name's Lewis Kent, jinxed me 'cause I accidentally knocked into him on the way out of the common room. Daphne had to run and get a Prefect 'cause everything I touched, I got stuck to! And by the time the Prefect, Roberts I think, got to me, I was stuck to a candle bracket, the wall, the floor and -" Bella broke off, suddenly realising that neither of the boys were paying attention, and were instead looking downright scary.

They both had a very devious look on their face, and seemed to be silently communicating. Bella suddenly understood why.

"Oh… Don't do anything horrible to him just because of that! You can't go and get him stuck in a chandelier or something - you'll get in so much trouble!"

Fred grinned wickedly. "We won't get him stuck in a chandelier, though that's a brilliant idea for another day…"

"Yeah -" said George, "what's that rule of yours? Don't get caught?"

Bella looked back and forth between them. "Really… Why do you care so much? You've got Ron -"

The twins burst out laughing. "He's just smart enough to realize when we're protecting him, and has therefore forbidden it." Said Fred.

"Anyway…" Said George, suddenly turning semi-serious. "There's actually two reasons we wanted to talk in the first place."

"That's right…" Muttered his brother.

"See - it's Quidditch season, so first off, the rivalries are getting tense, 'specialy between us and Slytherin…" George actually seemed somewhat regretful at this. "So, we wanted to warn you; don't get in between members of the Quidditch teams - don't get between Slytherins and us Gryffs as a general principle. You'll get caught in the spell-fire, literally."

"You're joking." Said Bella blandly.

George shook his head. "It's really bad, especially as you lot've got a seven year win streak that we're trying to break."

His brother was nodding. "We might end up sending a few stink-bombs in, so be warned…"

"I live down there too!" Said Bella angrily.

They shrugged, devious faces on again.

"Secondly…" Added Fred. "We're on the Quidditch Team, so - don't take this badly - we could use a few tip offs on Slytherin's strategy…" He grinned hopefully.

"What?!" Snapped Bella. It was the first time she'd actually raised her voice properly in a while. "Are you just doing this so I'll sell my own house out?"

"Just when I think we'll get a family member who isn't so bloody loud…" Fred drawled, turning to his brother.

"Are you listening? I won't betray my house - I don't care if I don't fit in, I won't!" Bella continued, even louder.

"Yes - it's rather impressive how much noise can come from such a twee thing!" George was saying.

"Just because I'm gullible -"

"Only a little," they said together.

"- and stupid,"

"Not at all!" Said Fred.

" - and nice -"

"I've always valued that trait," said George.

"- doesn't mean that you two get to know everything I know!" Finished Bella angrily.

"If only you had said that in the first place." They said together.

She glared at them.

"It was only a _question_ …" Muttered George.

"Yeah, well - you didn't phrase it as one!" Bella snapped.

"Ah!" Exclaimed Fred. "Feedback! Just what we needed - now we know: with Slytherin firsties, one must always phrase questions correctly!"

Bella had to scowl harder to keep from smiling.

Fred continued, "Next time I see that Draco Malfoy, I'll be sure to walk up to him and say clearly, 'Are - you - constipated?'. I've always wondered that - what with the way he walks around, and his face -" He mimed Draco walking around stiffly with a screwed up smirk on his face, and Bella burst into giggles.

The twins both grinned, and Bella quickly forgave them.

She eventually went to dinner in an elevated mood - that is, until she saw Pansy's overbearing and scowling face.

"Where have you been?" Demanded Pansy once Bella had sat down next to Daphne.

Feeling strangely rebellious from her time with the twins, Bella responded quietly, "I was kidnapped."

Daphne covered her mouth to hide a giggle, and Pansy leaned forward. "I didn't catch that, Bella?"

Bella spoke again, loud enough for the rest of their end of the table to hear. "I was kidnapped."

Pansy stared at her.

"I see you escaped." Said Daphne politely.

Bella smothered a smile and nodded seriously.

The scowl on Pansy's face was growing in proportion. "Really, Bella! Where did you go?"

Bella had been having a bit of fun, pretending that Pansy was one of the girls at her primary school who she had dearly wished to sass, but for some reason, this suddenly brought her back to the reality. This was an influential politician's daughter (Lucy's words), and Bella had to be careful.

So, instead of saying 'I was kidnapped by a werewolf with a soft side', she looked at the table and said, "I didn't feel well, really. I just went to the nurse. I was only joking about kidnapping…"

Daphne smiled next to her and said, "She was looking a bit peaky when she disappeared."

Pansy nodded as though satisfied, which Bella couldn't help be confused at - couldn't she see the blatant lie?

Once the bossy girl had turned back to the other girls, Daphne collapsed to a fit of silent giggles, while the boys across the table (Theodore, Blaise, Samuel and Draco) stared at Bella with a mixture of bemused and humorous expressions.

When Daphne finally recovered, she whispered, "I didn't know you had that in you!"

Bella grinned shyly, feeling very daring.

"You do have to tell me what actually happened later though…" Daphne added in the same conspiratorial whisper.

And, much to Bella's surprise, she found herself sat on her bed after dinner, back to the wall and curtains partially drawn, with Daphne cross-legged on her blanket, telling the story of her somewhat-friendship with the twins.

0 0 0

It seemed, on later reflection, that all the interesting things happened when it was cold.

The final days leading up to the Quidditch match were, in fact, filled with inter-house tension. It was firstly sparked when Lewis Kent found that every time he walked through a doorway, he went cross-eyed, then clucked and flapped like a chicken. By the twelfth time this happened, he was seething and the Slytherins had decided it was an attack that needed to be reciprocated.

This prank (no one doubted the culprits, they just had no proof, and Bella wasn't about to give them any), led to many others, increasing in intensity, until Bella always checked around corners, and Daphne jumped at any bang. In fact, as the walked cautiously through a small frozen courtyard the day before the match, Bella first thought that the squeak she heard was that of a prank victim.

"Did you hear that?" She yelped.

Daphne, who hadn't stopped walking, turned to face her. "No. What was it?"

Bella tilted her head, listening again. It had been very distinctive. "A kind of… squeak, I 'spose - there it is again!"

It was certainly coming from the corner of the empty courtyard. Bella slowly stepped closer to the noise.

"Ee-ep!"

She walked closer, closer, closer -

A dying bird.

It lay awkwardly, it's wings splayed about behind it.

There was something strange about it though - it's wings were much to big for its body, and not a feather covered them. It's tail was very, very long, and absurdly thin, it's body was fuzzy -

" _It's a mouse!_ " Bella gasped to herself.

She knelt down and looked at it more closely. Indeed, it was a mouse, a little brown mouse, with big, bat-like wings and a long tail with a kite-shaped tip.

~ _What are you?~_ She whispered.

Feebly, it responded, " _Ee-ep!_ "

Bella jumped a little. ~ _Oh Diagealach, your dying~_

It's large, black eye slowly blinked open.

~ _I'll help you, don't worry…~_

Bella picked up the mouse-bat (or whatever it was) in her mittens and stood up slowly. She looked at it carefully. It certainly didn't look dangerous, especially in this state, and it was rather adorable. As she pet her thumb softly against the little creature, she felt it's tiny bones underneath it's skin, and was amazed she could feel its heartbeat.

She folded her right arm against her chest and gently lay the mouse in the crook of her arm, then pulled her cloak more closely around them both.

"What is it?" Called Daphne, sounding impatient.

"It's just a little mouse - it's still alive though, so I'm going to try and help it." Bella didn't feel the need to say 'winged mouse', for some reason. "You can go on to dinner."

Daphne looked a bit suspicious, and Bella was (guiltily) happy to see, a tad concerned. "You sure?"

Bella nodded.

"I'll save you a spot, then. Don't be long?"

"I won't - I'm just going to put it in a blanket, and give it a bit of water."

Still looking slightly suspicious, Daphne nodded, pulled the collar of her outer cloak up, and headed for the hall.

Hurrying through the cold corridors of the dungeons a few minutes later, Bella began to wonder _what_ exactly she was carrying with her to the common room.

Turning the corner to the entrance, Bella glanced around, then said the password: " _Potestas!_ "

The heavy stone bricks twisted and turned, pulling back to form the entry to Slytherin common room. It seemed that most people were at dinner, as the common room was mostly empty apart from a few older students in the loft and a small group playing pool.

Bella hurried past them, up the short stairway, down the hall, and into her dorm. She pulled off her cloak gently, careful not to disturb the tiny creature, then carried it over to her bed. Once she had sat down with the mouse-thing, Bella suddenly realized that she had no idea what to do.

Bella whispered, ~ _Whatever shall I do with you? What happened to you, little beasty?~_

The mouse, who's eyes and been closed and tail wrapped around itself, unfurled slightly.

~... _Cold…~_ It was so quiet and unintelligible that Bella barely heard it.

~ _Very cold…~_

Bella gasped. It was speaking Fey - not very clearly, as it spoke what she thought might be a Woodland dialect, bust she under _stood_!

~ _Oh me, oh my,~_ She murmured. ~ _I'm glad you can speak, I just didn't expect - we'll be wanting a blanket then? Yes, yes…~_

Still whispering soft words in the Old Language, Bella stood, carried the tiny beast to her desk, and wrapped it gently in a clean washcloth presumably left by a house-elf. She found a nice wooden stationary box, and lay the mouse in it, tucking the edges of the fabric into it.

The creature was now curled up again, its kite-like tail-tip over its nose and wings tucked around it like another blanket.

~ _Just wait here, yes?~_ Bella muttered, setting the box on the shelf in the wall of her nook.

She hurried to the washroom and took the cap off a Pimple-Remover Potion bottle, filled it with water, and hurried back, trying not to spill.

Once she had set it down in the box so it could drink, Bella suddenly felt rather bad about leaving the obviously hurt and frozen creature by itself.

~ _I've got to go now, but I'll be back in a little while, and I'll bring you a bit of food.~_ Doubting that the creature understood or even heard her, Bella closed the curtains to her nook and hurried from the room.

When she got to dinner, tired and breathless, she slipped into a seat by Daphne, who looked at her expectantly. Before she could say anything, though, Pansy asked where she had been ( _of course_ ), and she had to say that she'd seen a dying mouse and tried to help it, something Pansy thought was completely unnecessary.

By then, Bella didn't care what Pansy thought, so she just shrugged politely.

"Why is it that you always leave me alone at dinner?" Said Daphne half-heartedly.

Bella looked down. "I'm sorry, really - it's not like I _want_ to leave you with them two -" she nodded at Pansy and Tracey, who were talking just a bit too loud. "It's just that - that I really hate not helping little animals like that."

Daphne shrugged. "Yeah, it's alright, really. How is it? The mouse?"

Bella noticed that the longer she had properly known Daphne, the more relaxed with her speech the posh girl was. Then again, it might have been herself that was speaking more posh, as spending any time in the common room resulted in a range of polite, political conversation most of the time, no matter one's accent.

"Well, I didn't say earlier, but it's not _really_ a mouse, I don't think… See, it's… got wings."

"Serious?!" Hissed Daphne. "I've heard of those - they're supposed to be really rare - are you actually joking?"

Bella shook her head. "Shh… Don't want them to hear!" She whispered.

"What did you do with it?" Asked Daphne, leaning in over her roast lamb.

"I wrapped it in a towel and gave it some water." Replied Bella. "It was really cold, and I think it may have hurt it's wing, but I can't tell…"

A voice cut rudely into their conversation. "Has your owl been hurt?" Said Draco Malfoy. "You ought to take it to the nurse, that's what I'd do… Optimal care, you know?"

Bella stared at him, once again surprised at his rudeness. Daphne, on the other hand, smiled tightly and said, "Thanks Draco, I was going to say that we should take it to an expert."

The boy smirked and turned back to Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle.

Daphne turned back to Bella and rolled her eyes (surprisingly unladylike). "He didn't used to be like that - well, not _that_ bad…" she lowered her voice. "Always has been an arrogant prick, just a _nice_ arrogant prick before school."

Bella shrugged. "He's an aristocrat, it's just how he is. I bet he just thought he'd be really popular here, and now Potter's come along and ruined that, so - well, he's a bit of a twat."

The other girl nodded. " _Anyway_ …" She said, returning to her normal tone, "If it's hurt, a suppose we _had_ ought to bring it to the nurse…"

Bella and Daphne left dinner early with two bread rolls and a plan.

Firstly, they would get back to the mouse-thing and give it food, then they would find a way to put a warming charm on it without telling anybody they had a winged mouse. And then, they would hope it would live long enough for them to bring it to the nurse.

Unlike Bella, Daphne seemed to be keeping her hopes low by reminding them both of probable death or permanent injury for the poor animal.

Once they got back to the dorm, they hurried to Bella's bed, sat down and drew the curtains firmly shut. Bella set the box gently on her knees, and they both peered inside.

It seemed as though the mouse had changed colour. Instead of the cold steely-brown fur and grey wings of before, it had warm brown fur and leather-like wings. Because of this, Bella could now see that it's right wing was out of place, tucked up against the mouse awkwardly.

"Ohh…" Gasped Daphne. "It's beautiful!"

"It didn't used to look like this, I think the warmth really helped it!" Bella said excitedly. "And it's drunk all the water - oh, hello…" She lowered her voice.

The mouse had opened its eyes, and was looking blearily up at them.

~ _Food?~_ It said quietly.

"I've never heard a mouse make _that_ sound before!" Daphne said. "It sounded like it was whispering - like a human!"

Bella made a noncommittal noise and pulled a bread roll from her pocket. "It's hungry."

She broke off a tiny piece of bread and balanced it on her finger, next to the mouse.

Nervously, the mouse-bat reached out and took the bread, still lying down, and began to nibble.

"Ohh!" Daphne squealed again. "Here, we should make a few more pieces."

They tore a few more small pieces and placed them by the mouse. Daphne ran to fill the bottle cap again, and Bella watched as it ate cautiously.

~ _What happened to you?_ ~ She said quietly.

The mouse stopped eating and set down its current piece of bread. Bella suddenly noticed a spark of intelligence in its eyes that she hadn't noticed before.

~ _I flew…~_ it whispered _. ~nighttime, and hawk-owl attacked… it hurt my wing… so I fell, and landed, but it was very cold… so I could not fix my wing.~_

Bella nodded. She was glad that it's speech seemed to grow in confidence as it spoke. ~ _Do you usually fix your own wings if they're hurt?~_

 _~I have never hurt before.~_ It said.

~ _Oh.~_ Bella said. ~ _Might you be able_ _to fix it yourself?_ ~

The mouse sat up and pulled it's right wing open. It seemed as though the half of the wing past the second joint couldn't move on its own.

~ _I will try.~_ It said, with a surprising note of courage in its small voice.

Suddenly concerned at what the mouse was about to do, Bella gently touched its wing. ~ _Do you know what is wrong in the first place?~_

~ _Yes-no~_ Bella took that as 'maybe'. ~ _I am thinking that the flesh-stick is out of place.~_

 _~Bone.~_ Bella said automatically. ~ _It's called a bone.~_

If it was possible, the mouse shrugged. ~ _I move it back.~_

~ _What if that makes it worse?~_ She asked.

~ _I hope it will not.~_

And with that, the mouse grabbed its own wing and pulled. There was a small 'pop' and the mouse squealed.

Bella gasped. ~ _Is it alright?~_

Slowly, the mouse flexed its wing, out then in. ~ _Yes.~_

She sighed with relief. ~ _Thank Maradia, that was-~_

"Can it talk?!" Bella jumped at Daphne's voice. "I knew I heard it whisper something earlier - I don't know much about flying bats, but they're supposed to represent a union between earth and air, so I'm not that surprised -"

"No, Daph. Well, it does speak, but not English or anything." Bella interrupted.

"How's that possible? You don't speak anything else, do you?"

Bella hesitated. _Now's as good a time as any,_ she thought. "Have you heard of the Old Language? The Fey-speak?"

Daphne looked at her closely. "Well, yes - I had a tutor who was a quarter pixie."

Bella raised her eyebrows. "Well, I've, erm... got a bit in common with that tutor of yours."

"Ah." Said Daphne smartly. "Your saying…"

"I'm part Fey, yes. Selkie, to be specific." Bella spoke quickly, hoping to to get it over with.

Daphne squinted at her. "Can you prove it?"

That was not the reaction Bella had expected, but she extended her hand. Daphne walked closer, and looked at her hand.

A common trait in part-Selkies was an extension of skin of skin between each finger, making one's hands slightly resemble flippers. Bella's hands not only displayed this, but were starting to peel from a lack of water. She really needed a bath.

"How did I never notice?" Demanded Daphne.

Bella shrugged. "It's just my family and friends who know, so I suppose I should've told you already."

Looking conflicted, Daphne sat down next to Bella, on the other side of the mouse-bat's box.

When she stayed silent, Bella began to worry.

"I understand if you don't want to be friends with a half-breed." she said miserably.

Daphne looked at her in surprise. "Why _wouldn't_ we be friends? You're the only one this year who's been nice to me… genuinely. Pansy's worse than ever, it turns out Tracey was only friends with me because her father said it would be an 'political advantage', and all the others just follow Pansy mindlessly." She looked down at her hands, then back up at Bella with a smile. "I mean, as long as you're not going to… bite me or something, I don't mind."

"Really?" Bella asked.

She really hadn't thought a pureblooded, socialite girl could ever really be friends with her, not when she was quite literally half-human.

With a nod, Daphne said, "I probably won't tell my parents that my friend is part Selkie, but yes, you're my only friend right now. I wouldn't give that up!"

Bella grinned.

"Now!" Said Daphne, "Let's see about this mouse."

The said mouse was curled up and seemed to be waiting patiently.

After a glance at Daphne, Bella said, ~ _How are you feeling?_ ~

The creature raised its head. ~ _Still hurt, but mended.~_

Daphne waited with an expectant expression for a translation.

"It fixed it's wing itself, but I think the wing is still hurting. It speaks a different dialect - Woodland Fey, as opposed to Seafolk Fey - so I don't understand everything exactly." Bella said.

They both jumped at a clatter from a little way away. It seemed that the others were coming back.

Thinking quickly, Bella jumped up, grabbed her latest Charms essay, then jumped back into the bed nook and shut the curtains.

At Daphne's questioning look, she whispered, "I want to keep the mouse-bat a secret. I doubt it wants bunches of humans looking at it."

"Do you think it has a name?" Daphne asked, looking at the creature. "We could give it one."

Bella looked at the mouse. ~ _What are you? Do you have a name?~_

 _~I am~_ it said a word that Bella thought might literally mean 'air-wing-mouse'. ~ _and I am called Soh-har'en Son.~_

She squinted at it, then translated for Daphne. "He says he's something that literally means 'winged mouse', basically. I think it's a he because it's calling itself something like 'son of son'."

The door opened, and they heard the voices of the other girls.

"Does it have a name?" Daphne whispered.

That was a struggle. "Well… Yes. I just don't think you can even say it in human- um, English. It sounds like 'sore-ine'. No, more like 'soruh-hin' - oh, I don't know - it's a beautiful name, but I can only say it in Fey."

"Say it." Prompted the other girl.

Bella shrugged.

~ _Soh-har'en Son~_ she intoned.

Daphne tilted her head. "It does sound nice…" She whispered, "I just can't tell really what it is. It's like steam hissing, and water, and that muffled feeling you get from fog."

"Is that what it really sounds like?" Asked Bella, bemused. "You can hear a feeling?"

"Yes…" Muttered Daphne. "That's the best way I can describe it. It's a bit odd, no offense."

Bella shrugged again. "We could call him Soren, if he doesn't mind."

At Daphne's nod, she turned back to the mouse. ~ _I will compliment you on your name, but my friend cannot say it in her language. Would you mind being called_ 'Soren' _?_ ~

The mouse tilted it's head, uncannily like Daphne and said, ~ _I would not be offended.~_

Bella grinned. "He says he wouldn't be offended."

"Soren, it is then!" Daphne replied.

They spent a long time talking and doing homework, and the mouse slowly fell back asleep in his towel. Eventually, Bella went to take a bath, and Daphne went with her to brush her teeth.

Bella was very grateful that there wasn't a Council meeting that night, as usually she sat with Lucy and fell asleep on one of the armchairs. Sometimes she woke up in her own bed, and sometimes, she woke in the same chair with only a blanket draped over her. It was in all, very exhausting, as there were meetings around two times a week, added to her Thursday night swims. It sometimes seemed a bit pointless, as most of the discussion went right over her head, but she had learnt a few things as well: Quidditch tactics, card games, etiquette, names, a few jinxed and spells, and the going-ons of the school.

That night, Bella fell lay in her nook, curled up on her left side, back to the window, like usual, but instead of the usual social exhaustion and swirling thoughts, she fell asleep with excitement for the Quidditch match of the next day.

0 0 0

By eleven o'clock Saturday, the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students, including Daphne, Blaise, and Draco had binoculars. The seats may be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes. Bella had managed to get a small, bronze spyglass from home, that was enchanted to follow the action automatically.

Bella and Daphne had found seats away from the boys, who were _beyond_ enthusic, and Bella was glad to be rid of them. Lucy had insisted that she be allowed to 'decorate' Bella, so Bella looked the picture of Slytherin pride: a green and silver scarf wrapped around her neck, green ribbons plaited cleverly into her French braids, and two green stripes on each cheek.

Daphne wore a green matching scarf and hat, and had a flag that she was waving wildly.

Across the pitch, the Gryffindors were just as spirited, a sea of red and gold with many posters and banners. One particularly large banner read ' _Potter for President!_ ' and had a large, colour-changing lion on it. It also looked to be made of a disused bedsheet.

Looking behind her, up the stands, Bella saw that the sixth years were holding a huge black flag with a snake and the words 'Don't tread on me' under it. She had no idea how they had managed to get a flag that large, especially an American muggle one. Lucy's answer would most likely be that they 'acquired' (stolen) it so she decided not to ask in the first place.

As the two teams walked out onto the field, the dull roar of the crowd grew deafening.

The teams arranged themselves into the starting circle, Slytherin in emerald robes and Gryffindor in scarlet. Madame Hooch, who seemed to be refereeing, was saying something to the players, then she blew her whistle, kicked open the Bludger and Snitch boxes, then threw the Quaffle up as hard as she could. Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too -"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry Professor."

A Gryffindor third year, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc - no, stopped by and excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood -"

Bella, who had been screaming encouragement along with the rest of her house, moaned.

She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Come _on_!"

"- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dive - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the biting air, while howls and moans came from the Slytherins. Bella's throat burned from her screaming and the bitter cold, but she howled along with the group of fifth years behind them.

The Quaffle flew through the leftmost hoop on Bella's side, and one of the other Gryffindor Chasers caught it.

Fred - or George, Bella wasn't entirely sure - flew past the Slytherin stands, waving his Beater's bat wildly. In return, he received a large and very diverse amount of hand gestures from the crowd, but only had enough time to give a grin before batting a Bludger out of its course towards the Keeper.

The Slytherin Chasers had formed an arrow, a bit like geese, and were flying rapidly at the Gryffindor Chasers, who scattered and -

"Slytherin in possession!" Called Lee Jordan. "Chaser Puecy ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd and Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Both Seekers were suddenly in pursuit, diving at the streak of gold, neck and neck - hurtling toward the Snitch. The Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

Potter - just a scarlet streak now - was faster that Higgs, and was reaching the Snitch, putting on a burst of speed -

WHAM!

Bella let out her breathe in a gasp, not realizing she'd been holding her breathe at all.

A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Potter on purpose, and the Seeker's broom had spun off course, Potter holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint, who was shrugging, seeming unperturbed that a player had hit him at full speed in a practically vertical dive. Madam Hooch ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But, in all the confusion, the Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

The commentator, Lee Jordan, was finding it difficult to not take sides, and Bella wondered why they didn't just have a teacher commentate.

"So - After that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating -"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul -"

" _Jordan, I'm warning you -_ "

" All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor in possession."

Bella booed along with Daphne.

She was now trying to follow a complicated play by the Slytherin Chasers and Higgs, where the Chasers herded the Gryffindors towards their own goal posts, and then let Higgs dive-bomb them, thwarted only by one of Bludgers. Suddenly, her spyglass's enchantment pulled it up to focus on Potter.

His broom was jumping and bucking, and he didn't seem to be in any semblance of control. No one seemed to have noticed, as Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hop it broke his nose - only joking Professor - Slytherins score - oh no…"

Bella cheered but kept her now un-spyglassed eyes on Potter, and poked Daphne to point it out when his broom began to jerk and twitch higher and higher up.

Suddenly, people were pointing to Harry Potter from all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to stay on. Then, the crowd gasped. His broom had given a wild jerk and Potter had swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Do you think something actually happened when Flint knocked into him?" Daphne whispered.

Bella scowled. "I don't think so… I doubt Flint jinxed it or something - I think he knows he'd get kicked off for that - but I've no idea, really…"

Daphne suddenly gasped. "What if… someone _is_ jinxing it, they're just in the stands?!"

They both squinted around, until Daphne grabbed Bella's arm. "Look there - in the Gryffindors - what do you 'spose _she's_ doing?"

"Who? You mean Granger?" Bella tried to look even closer through her spyglass.

"Yeah… what's she - I think she's seen something!".

They looked even closer to see the bushy-haired girl disappear for a minute, then reappear in a teachers' box, rushing along one row, knocking over Professor Quirrell, then crouch down, and a moment later something was on -

"Fire!" Hissed Bella. "Did she just set a _fire_?!"

Daphne was speechless.

"She's more Gryffindor-y than I thought," muttered Bella. "Was she aiming at Sna- he's stopped! Look! Potter's broom isn't jinxed anymore!"

A dark look was spreading across Daphne's face. "She's smarter than I thought, though I couldn't believe she was sitting with Potter and Weasley, and now…"

"Well…" Said Bella hesitantly, "That means she probably got the right person - if someone _was_ jinxing the broom, that is."

Daphne slammed her hand against the chair in front of them, earning a glare from the fourth year occupying it. "I hate not knowing!" She hissed. "And if anything, that proves that someone in that box was jinxing the broom!"

Bella nodded absently, now focused on the game again.

Harry Potter, now in control of his broom was speeding toward the ground as the crowd held it's breath. He clapped his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

"He didn't _catch_ it, he nearly _swallowed_ it!" Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Potter hadn't broken any rules, and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results: Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.

Bella and Daphne were very bitter about this, but they were more scared of the screaming sixth and seventh years than either of them cared admit, so they made a run for it; under arms and around legs of the older students.

Once they made it back to the common room, they decided that they would _not_ like to be in the midst of their furious housemates. They hurried to the dorm, picked up Soren's box, and smuggled it out so they could check on him in peace.

The mouse made it clear that the pain was not going away even if the actual problem was fixed, so Daphne said they ought to go to the nurse. Bella countered that by pointing out a bruised boy who had apparently gotten into a fight over the result of the game. As they walked toward the entrance hall, they saw many others with minor injuries that the nurse would no doubt be busy with.

"What about Hagrid?" Said Bella suddenly.

"What about him?"

Shifting Soren's box underneath her cloak, Bella responded,"He knows loads about creatures and beasties! I bet he could help, or at least tell what's wrong."

At Daphne's shrug, Bella led the way down to Hagrid's hut, past the greenhouses, and Potter, Granger, and the youngest Weasley, all of whom looked particularly excited.

Hagrid was in a bad mood when they knocked on his door, but after Bella opened Soren's box, the huge man welcomed them in excitedly.

"Where did'ja manage to find one 'a these?" He asked as they entered. "They're rare, an' 'ave some fancy name I can't remember - a while ago, they was all owned by them rich an' powerful ta carry letters an' such"

Bella answered the original question, as Daphne was staring with a mixture of fascination and disgust at a large barrel of what looked to be freshly harvested bat spleens. "He was just in the corner of a courtyard, practically frozen."

"Ah, poor thing…" Muttered Hagrid, carefully picking up the mouse-bat. "'Spect one 'a them owls got 'im - tha's why they went out'a use a while back."

Sitting down at the huge table, Bella nodded. "Yeah, he said it was a 'hawk-owl', I think."

Hagrid glanced nervously at Daphne, who was still standing, looking a bit ill.

"Yeh can talk t' it?" He whispered loudly.

Bella furrowed her brow. Hagrid never usually acted as though there was a secret to be kept.

"Yes." She said, not bothering to keep her voice down. "He speaks a bit different than me, but we understand each other. We're calling him Soren, because that's kind of what the translation sounds like in English."

Hagrid nodded, looking thoughtful. "He's hurt then? How?"

Bella hesitated. "I think he dislocated a major bone in his wing," (Hagrid winced) "but he fixed it himself, or at least put the bone back in place."

"'An it's still hurtin' 'im?"

She nodded.

"Righ' then." He lowered his gruff voice. "Now, mister, can yeh open yer wing?"

He gently pulled Soren's right wing open. The mouse shuddered visibly.

"Ah. Righ' there - yeh got yerself _two_ disloati'ns!"

Bella gasped, and Daphne snapped out of her trance.

"How much will it hurt him?" She asked.

Hagrid looked wary. "A fair bit…"

~ _What he's about to do is going to hurt.~_ Warned Bella.

The mouse rubbed his face with is left paw, effectively turning away from his wing. ~ _I would think so. ~_

She glanced a Hagrid, who, for all his size, did it rather quickly. He pinched a spot that was slightly swollen, the mouse shrieked, and again, there was a distinctive pop as something shifted.

Soren slid from Hagrid's massive hand and shot across the table to hide behind his box. Bella, who was the closest, placed her hand on the table and slid it toward him until her fingers brushed his whiskers. He was shaking.

~ _Is it better now?~_ She asked hopefully.

It took awhile for the mouse to respond. ~ _It folds rightly.~_

Bella translated, and Hagrid grinned. "Sorry fer spookin' 'im. There's only some ways teh fix a dislocat'in."

"Well, it's not me you should apologize to!" Bella said with a smile.

"Yer righ' - sorry to yeh, little mister!" His smile broadened. "Now, yeh lot want some tea and cakes?"

"Erm…" Said Bella. "I'll pass on the cakes - last time I had one, I almost lost a tooth, and that was after a soak in the lake!"

Daphne giggled.

"Are yeh disrespectin' my rock cakes?" Demanded Hagrid, beard twitching.

Bella grinned. "No…"

"Well at least yeh tell me 'bout it… Yeh'll take tea though?" He shuffled over to the cupboards at Bella's nod.

Daphne finally sat down, still giggling a bit.

Once there was two steaming mugs of tea in front of them and Hagrid was seated across from them, he asked, "Now, yeh've introduced me teh yer mouse, but to yer friend! What's yer name missy?"

Like usual, Daphne drew herself up and said politely, "Daphne Greengrass, nice to meet you Mr. Hagrid."

The huge man chuckled. "The posh sort then. Yeh don't need'a be formal with little ol' me - drop the 'Mr.'"

Bella smiled softly. That was the best part about Hagrid: he treated everyone the same, as long as they were friendly, at least.

"It's righ' good you two 'ave got each other. The rest o' them Slytherins in yer year ain't the good sort o' folk." Hagrid said absently.

Suddenly aware that there might be conflicting political views in the room, Bella glanced at Daphne. She was frowning, but looked thoughtful.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked politely.

Hagrid frowned. "Ah, well, somm'a the thoughts o' those kids ain't right in this 'ere day an' age."

"Hagrid, I've been _tellin_ g you," sighed Bella, "that whatever happened to get Randolph Selwyn out of school was good, because Sterling is the most progressive headboy we've had in ages. The only reason the other first years are so horrid right now is that they haven't picked up on the messages yet."

Daphne looked surprised. "And you have?"

Bella felt the blood rush to her head. "Not everything, but if the upper years keep it up, then yeah, I 'spose I understand what's supposed to happen."

"Oi!" Exclaimed Hagrid. "Watch yer mouse!"

Soren was perched on the rim of Hagrid's mug, wings extended for balance.

~ _Thank you, Giant-man, my wing is foldable again!~_ He called up at the man.

Giggling, Bella translated. "He's saying 'thank you'."

"I'm righ' honored an' all, but if 'e falls in 'ere and scalds 'imself, it's all fer nothin'!" Hagrid chortled.

Bella and Daphne laughed, and Bella stuck out her hand for the mouse to climb down on.

They spent the rest of an enjoyable afternoon chatting with Hagrid about Quidditch, teachers, and how Hagrid thought they should care for Soren.

 **I'm done! (With this chapter at least!)**

 **I've got a outline for the rest of years one and two, so I hope that I'll be writing these faster. I'm aiming for 7000-ish words a chapter, cause that makes about 12-14 pages, just a bit shorter than Queen Rowling's chapters.**

 **Leave a comment, review or something I should change, but only if ya want! :)**

 **Thanks, and bye,**

 **Lyra**


	10. Christmas Hols

**First of all, I'm SO sorry this took so long. I had no idea how hard it is to write a Christmas scene just as summer hols start - so I'm really sorry if this chapter is shite. In fact, I had so little idea how to write a Christmas scene, I fell back on 'A Child's Christmas in Wales', my absolute favourite children's book. I'm going to be traveling around for the first bit of the summer, so idk if updates will be faster or slower.**

 **IMPORTANT: In this story, I may write about things that are not healthy, emotionally, physically, socially, or politically practical/correct. Just because I write them in does not mean I entirely approve of them. There will be drinking, smoking, cursing, gambling, and dangerous/old-fashioned children's games.**

 **All rights go to JK Rowling, except for my OCs.**

Yule and Christmas were coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself in several feet of snow. On Thursday night, Hagrid (wrapped even more tightly in his winter coat) had to smash a hole in the iced-over lake in order for Bella to swim. The Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Professor Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly away again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start, especially Bella. The classes were becoming more demanding, and she was still slightly behind in Transfiguration, even without her extra classes. She missed home more than ever now, and she kept on getting little flashes of longing for the ocean.

The castle was also horridly cold. While the Slytherin common room had its roaring fire, and the Great Hall's many fireplaces were always lit, the drafty corridors had become icy, and a bitter wind rattled the windows of the upper classrooms. Worse of all were the dungeons; the moment you walked out of the Slytherin common room, you would expect to see your breath. The dorms were, of course, heated (who could expect the children of high ranking Ministry workers and investors to stand with being frozen in their beds?), but all the while, Bella could see why they were provided with so many blankets.

The whole of Slytherin house was disgusted at their Quidditch defeat, and many of the Council meetings consisted of strategy sessions for their next game. None was more angry than Draco Malfoy. He had been even more unpleasant than usual towards the Gryffindors, and most especially, Harry Potter. For a whole week, the other first years had to endure his horrible attempts to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would soon be replacing Potter as Seeker for Gryffindor. Once he'd realized that no one apart from a few Slytherins found this funny, he'd gone back to taunting Potter about having no proper family.

After a few days, it began to get to Bella as well. She couldn't help it - even though she knew that she had Auntie Elena, Grandmother, Uncle James, Aunt Hannah, Liam and Fable, and all her seal-aunties and cousins, sometimes, she felt like they weren't _there_. Bella wasn't sure if her cousin Liam was avoiding her or not, considering as he hadn't spoken to her in the entire term; his little sister, Fable, was still at home, and Bella missed her dearly. She owled Uncle James occasionally for advice on little Slytherin formalities and the like, but he was busy with work, and Aunt Hannah was busy with their pub, The Crow's Nest.

She only saw Auntie or Grandmother once a month, and only just to take her to the island, and there, she had her Selkie relatives, but they weren't her _mother_.

Potter's mother came up regularly - the fact she was a muggleborn, her death, and so on.

To be entirely honest, Bella was surprised Potter hadn't hexed Draco. It seemed like a very Gryffindor-ish thing to do, hexing someone. She'd seen the older Lions do it, and she'd even been on the receiving end of a few - for being in the way, mainly, or just for being short, or a Slytherin - it didn't really matter.

After a very long Potions class of Draco's viciousness, Daphne and Bella headed tiredly to the common room. A few moments later, they were sat against the hot water heater with their books spread around them. Soren, who was still recuperating, was curled up on Bella's shoulder, under her hair.

The heating system in the Slytherin dungeons was entirely ingenious, Bella thought. Apart from the fireplaces, thin pipes brought in the lake water, and heated it with a series of charms, then pumped it through a complex system that warmed the dorms and common room floor. Periodically, along the walls, the pipes swirl around themselves tightly, quite like muggle radiators. According to the Prefect Daphne had asked, this was to build up water pressure to preserve the heating charms. Whatever it was for, they were perfect places to dry towels or do homework by.

"You're not actually doing homework before the hols, are you?" Bella asked Daphne, who had a large book in her lap.

"Are you mad? _Me_? Before _hols_?" Daphne poked Bella's shoulder. "Of course not! I'm still looking for whatever's on the third floor."

Bella grinned. "Again?"

Daphne shrugged and turned back to her book.

Being friends with Daphne Greengrass, Bella had eventually learned, included being a part of Daphne's constant 'projects'. She had four ongoing ones that Bella was aware of: teaching Bella how to be a proper 'highly society girl' (whatever that meant), learning how to cast the Conjunctivitis curse, understanding what had happened during the Quidditch game and how Granger had affected things, and figuring out what was in the forbidden third floor corridor.

The last one made Bella feel particularly bad about herself, considering that she already had a vague idea of what was there. The Slytherin Council had, of course, begun to examine the third floor corridor - along with a group of upper year Ravenclaws - and they had already surmised quite a bit. Firstly, something was obviously being hidden or protected there (that was just common sense, as Daphne had figured that much out very quickly), secondly, there was something, or many somethings, protecting the hidden object. A pair of sixth year twins, Jak and Ayeisha Roberts, had been listening at the door, and were certain that it was a large, aggressive, creature that growled. Then, they'd narrowed it down to five magical creatures known for guarding treasures: a dragon, a manticore, a chimaera, a cerberus, or an nuckelavee.

The problem was, Bella hadn't told Daphne about her part in the Slytherin Council, mainly because she wasn't entirely sure she was allowed to tell her friend. Because of this, Bella had just been pointing Daphne in the right direction for her research (subtly, she hoped).

On the last day of term, the dorm was a mess. Bella had most of her things packed, except for her pictures and decorations around her bed. She had once again found the strange little room at the top of that stairwell, and borrowed a small wooden birdcage for Soren. He sat on the tiny perch, wings around him and head tucked down like some strange, hairless bird. His washcloth was tucked around the bottom of the cage.

All of the other girls were going home as well, so they were packing, rummaging through their desks, exchanging hastily wrapped gifts, and so on. Bella was very glad for Daphne's help on this, as she would have never thought to buy gifts for all the girls in her dorm (as she wasn't on very good terms with all of them), but apparently, it was basically obligatory. Lucy had helped as well, and Bella had gotten six beautiful little necklaces for her dorm mates - depriving her of quite a bit of pocket money - and got them all by owl order. The necklaces were all identical, with thin silver chains and a small emerald pendant, with a note attached, reading: _A necklace for our shared noble house. Merry Christmas, from Bella_.

The words had been Lucy's idea.

In return, Bella received a pair of gorgeous pearl earrings from Rachel, a nice hawk-feather quill from Tracey, a simple but beautiful (and probably expensive) silver bracelet from Pansy, and large boxes of candy from all the other girls. The real reason for all the gifts was for them to show off their money and taste, but it seemed absolutely absurd to Bella.

Lucy told her to expect a present on Christmas day when she gave the older girl a necklace as well, and Daphne gave her a heavy parcel that she was ordered to wait to open.

Later, as Bella and Daphne pulled their magically lightened trunks through the front hall, they stopped for a moment to look into the Great Hall. It looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with tiny candles. The professors were still decorating; Flitwick was making golden bubbles blossom out of his wand and trailing them over the branches of the last partially decorated tree.

"Oh, wow!" gasped Daphne.

Bella was gaping as well. "Now I wish I was staying!"

"I don't think even Malfoy Manor could top this!" Said Daphne, smirking across the crowded hall towards Draco, who seemed to have shaken off Crabbe and Goyle, and was instead talking to Blaise, Theodore, and Samuel. Turning back to Bella, she asked,"Were you invited, by the way?"

"To what?" Said Bella bemusedly.

"Oh, bother. The Malfoy gala? The Winter Gala? For the Ministry -" at Bella's confused expression, Daphne stomped her foot. "Bat dung! It was part of my plan- getting you involved in society. Does your grandmother have no say? She's the head of your family, isn't she? I've seen her at some of the Ministry events mother's dragged me to."

"No…" Said Bella, a bit offended. "Aunt Elena and Grandmother are both my guardians, but I've always lived with Auntie, and I went to muggle primary school instead of having a tutor. I bet if Grandmother had more say I'd have half an idea what your talking about!"

"Sorry…" Muttered Daphne. "The Malfoy gala is this Ministry event at their Manor where-"

There was a shout from one of the side doors. "Firs' years, firs' years - yeh've gotta go back across th' lake now - com'on!" It was Hagrid, wrapped in his coat.

As they headed towards him, Daphne continued in a lower voice, "It's really just a political war ground disguised as a gorgeous winter ball. I've been going since I was nine - social inception for girls in high society, you know -" Bella didn't know, and like many of their conversations, she felt a deep urge to go home and demand Grandmother teach her everything about the world of Slytherins. "- and it's always wonderful. I hardly ever really have any idea what's going on with the adults, but marriage contracts and betrothals are arranged around now, and there's older students, and apprenticeship opportunities, and all sorts of people."

They had made there way down a long set of stairs, and were now boarding a open sleigh pulled by four perytons*.

Daphne continued. "Getting to the point-"

"Finally!" Muttered Bella.

Scowling playfully, Daphne tapped the front of the sleigh and the perytons began to move, the sleigh gliding after. "I was hoping that you'd be invited, so I could get you better connected, but I 'spose that Draco hasn't told his father about you - and by extension, your uncle."

"Ah." Said Bella. "It's always about Uncle James, isn't it."

Daphne shrugged. "It is, sort of. Anyway, if your not going to the gala this year, we're going to get your family invited next year."

"They probably used to go; my family, that is…" Mused Bella, fiddling with the seat cushion. "Before, you know… That."

"The war." Said Daphne bluntly. "There's something else - either you don't talk at all, or you talk badly! Imagine if you were talking to the French Minister for Magic - you can't just stay silent, and you can't stumble with your words; you've got to articulate."

Bella, who was starting to feel rather attacked, scowled. "I _get_ it, Daph - you don't have to make me feel bad!"

"Sorry." Said Daphne, actually looking somewhat cautious.

She quickly changed the subject. "Have you seen that article in Witch Weekly? The one about the -"

"- the new part-kneazle breed? Yeah… They're gorgeous!"

They managed to keep a less political conversation going for a long while, until they joined Lily and Padma (Parvati was sitting with Gryffindors) on the train, and began to gossip about Lord Rosier's 'scandalous affair'.

The train ride passed quickly in a jumble of Cauldron Cakes, hot cocoa, and gossip. Daphne led Bella to the Slytherin compartments, to say polite goodbyes to the girls again, and then the boys.

When they got back to their compartment, the small group changed out of their school robes as the houses flashing by became closer together. Bella changed from her school clothes to what Aunt Elena had bought her of the latest wizarding winter style: a faded pink skirt with stockings, proper witch's boots, a thick, woolen, navy blue coat-cape that was just long enough to cover her skirt at her knees, and a pretty grey hat with a smaller brim and a hooked point.

As the train pulled into the station, Bella retrieved her trunk as well as Soren and his cage, then hopped down to the station with Daphne, Lily, and Padma close behind.

It took her only a minute to locate Aunt Elena through the bustling station - she was by the wall with an empty trolley for Bella's luggage, waving wildly.

"Auntie!" Bella shrieked, dragging her luggage to her aunt.

Aunt Elena enveloped her in a tight hug that smelled of vanilla. "Alright, darling? I've missed you!"

"'Missed you too." Bella said into Auntie's shoulder.

She extracted herself after a moment to say, "Let me introduce you to my friends!" She looked around for Rachel or Daphne's dark hair.

A soft voice stopped her. "You must be Elena Dagworth-Granger! I had the pleasure of attending school with your brothers."

Bella spun around. Daphne was smiling perfectly next to a woman who could have only been her mother - the same dark hair and eyes, fair skin, and willowy frame. And, next to her, must be Astoria - a twin of her mother and sister, only with lighter hair.

Aunt Elena smiled and extended her right hand, resting it on her left, in a formal offering of greeting. Bella barely stopped herself from gaping as Lady Greengrass took the offered hand, shook it, and said, "Blessed be. I am Lydia Greengrass - Daphne and Astoria are my youngest, and Eleanora is my eldest, though she's still on the train. Daphne has mentioned your niece quite a lot in her letters." She turned to Bella, who had been halfway hidden behind Auntie. "And you must be Bella - blessed be."

For a second Bella froze, until Daphne raised her eyebrows expectantly from behind her mother and Bella somehow remembered what to do. "Bless'd be, Lady Greengrass. It's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed her head slightly and pulled out the left side of her cloak in a half-curtsy. "I am Sabella Dagworth-Granger."

Daphne's mother smiled prettily. "While I cannot extend an invitation you this year, we'd love to have you and your family at our Yule dinner, on the twenty second, next year."

"We'd love to." Said Aunt Elena. "I'll inform James."

"I hope to see the Dagworth-Grangers more often -" Lady Greengrass looked at Bella importantly. "We'll certainly see you around, I think. Ah - excuse us, I believe I see Elenora."

"We hope to see you again." Said Aunt Elena.

Bella nodded agreement with a polite smile.

Daphne stepped forward and they hugged quickly, wishing 'Yule Blessings' and 'Merry Christmas' to each other.

So quietly that Bella barely heard, Daphne murmured, "We'll put in a good word with the Malfoys, and some others - get your uncle back into some old circles."

Bella inclined her head, feeling very much like an undercover Auror - telling secrets and whispering messages.

She loved it.

0 0 0

They Flooed directly home, and Bella was welcomed back by the smell of pine and and Poppy's almond cleaning-potion.

She stepped into the warm sitting room to see that the Christmas tree was already up, enchanted candles and golden baubles adorning it. Most of the paintings had tinsel sat on top of their frames, a candle flickered from each windowsill, and there was a handfull of gifts already set under the tree.

"I'm home!" Bella said, to no one in particular.

"Yes you are." Said Aunt Elena from behind her. "And you've got some settling in to do - Poppy!"

There was a snap like a whip crack, and Poppy appeared.

"Missy Bella is home!" The elf squealed. "Has she been learning all the magics at Hogwarts School?"

Bella dropped her bags and hugged the house-elf. "I've been trying to learn, but things keep getting in the way!"

Poppy was practically bouncing with excitement, her huge ears flapping like wings.

"What's happened at home? Have you made sure Auntie eats? She works so hard sometimes - you know of course - has Emily called? I've been owling her every other day, but I wish I could just talk to her. And, oh - how's the garden? And the painting of Great Uncle Hattie? Has it been restored? And - are we actually getting a goat? Auntie said in her letters - we can't name it Tabitha - that's a horrid name for a goat!"

"Oi! I think Tabitha's wonderful name!"

Bella looked up from Poppy's enthusiastic nodding, to see -

"Emmy!"

With a shout, the two girls jumped into a hug.

"It's been so boring without you - I thought I'd go mad." Emily said after a moment.

"It was horrible without you." Replied Bella. "Are you on hols?"

"Yep! Got out mid-yesterday - year eights and up got out day before, though."

"Privilege." Bella said, without thinking. "All the upper years at Hogwarts get a different uniform and get to go down to the village on weekends."

"Ooh!" Gasped Emily. "Tell me everything!"

For the next two hours, they sat in Bella's room and talked. Bella told Emily about everything she could think that she hadn't put in her letters: descriptions of people, places, and things, explanations she'd got from the upper years about hexes and jinxes, and how far she'd gotten with her extra Transfiguration lessons.

Emily told Bella about her family drama, the new twins at school, and one of her older brother's sudden obsession with playing the drums (very loudly - at night).

Bella introduced Emily to Soren, and they spent a long while making his borrowed cage more comfortable.

It was the most relaxed Bella had felt in a long while.

Eventually, Emily had to go home for dinner, and Bella bounced down the stairs to the kitchen with Soren on her shoulder.

Poppy was enthusiastically preparing a large pot of pasta, and Aunt Elena was sitting in the dining room, reading the Daily Prophet.

Auntie looked up from her paper as Bella entered the room. "Aha! Is this the famous Pennamus?" **

"Sorry?" Asked Bella.

"I looked it up - that's what he's called - a Pennamus. Do you want to introduce us?"

With a grin, Bella extended her arm so Soren could run down it, then explained, ~This is my aunt; my father's sister. She is pleased to meet you.~

To her surprise, Soren hopped off her hand and walked across the table to Aunt Elena, before placing his right paw forward and extending his wings flat against the table in a kind of bow.

~I am pleased to meet the caretaker of Sah'belæ, and would like to thank her for the large warm-place.~

When she translated, Aunt Elena burst out laughing. "We're going to need to buy food for him!" At Bella's face of confusion, she added, "You're keeping him, aren't you?"

"I can?" Exclaimed Bella.

Auntie grinned. "It saves the bother of buying you an owl or something, and he seems very polite - and anyway, if you can survive in the same house as Hector, I think you can take care of a mouse!"

"Thank you! Thank you!" Bella jumped around the edge of the table and hugged her aunt from behind the chair. "You're the best!"

"I am, aren't I?" Said Auntie smuggly.

Leaning back, Bella shrugged, that said teasingly, "Oh, only some of the time… The rest of the time it's like having a manticore as an aunt!"

"I'm not that grumpy!"

Bella grinned. "Example A!"

"Oi! I will get grumpy if my dear little niece-y poo starts teasing me!" Aunt Elena poked her cheek. "Now sit down - Poppy's bringing out dinner."

Soren hopped back up her arm and sat quietly on her shoulder again.

There was a few minutes of quiet as Poppy hopped around, serving them pasta and vegetables, filling Bella's glass with her favorite goat milk, and Aunt Elena's with a bit of elf-wine.

"So," said Auntie, breaking the silence, "the Greengrasses seem nice."

Bella smiled. "Yeah. Daph's the only person in my house who's explained things properly to me. She's the best - I think her and Emily would get along really well."

"Except for the fact that Emily's a Squib-born -" began Auntie, before Bella cut across:

"I don't think Daphne cares as much about that, you know. She's really smart, not necessary book smart, but really smart, and she already knows about my 'half-breed-iness' anyway." Bella said with a grin.

To her surprise, Auntie frowned. "Already? You've only known her for a few months - not even! Are you sure you should have told her?"

"Well, I can't really help it now, can I?" Bella shifted in her seat, feeling uncomfortable. "And anyway, she doesn't know about the Slytherin Council yet, so I can't have two big secrets from her!"

Aunt Elena shrugged and made a 'it's your problem' face, but changed the subject. "Who was the other friend you talked about? You didn't mention her very much - Rachel? Was it?"

"Yep! Rachel Avery -" Bella broke off at her aunt's deep scowl. "What?"

"I don't like the Averys." Auntie muttered resolutely.

"Why?" Snapped Bella. "Because they're 'all' Death Eaters? Rachel's father has twelve siblings if you weren't aware, all with varying degrees of connection with You-Know-Who, and d'you know how many cousins she's got? No? About Ninety-two!" She poked a brussel sprout angrily. "Something I've learnt at school is that, no matter their family, someone isn't necessarily bad, or mean, or evil!"

Auntie nodded. "Fine, you're right. I had forgotten how big the Avery family is, and was, but it still doesn't change … doesn't change that they were involved in your parents' deaths."

Bella sombered immediately, but continued anyway, "Did Rachel kill mum and dad? No. She was the same age as me - five. I don't think that she has any blame for mum and dad."

Aunt Elena was looking at her with a strange look on her face.

"What?" Muttered Bella. "It wasn't her fault."

"No, no, no…" Auntie shook her head. "I just don't know if you're a much better person than I am, or if the Slytherins have already corrupted you."

Bella didn't honestly know if she should laugh, smile, or frown at that.

There was a moment of awkward quiet, only broken by the sound of forks on plates, before Aunt Elena spoke again. "I'm sorry, Belle."

Bella looked up from her plate. "It doesn't matter." She mumbled. "I shouldn't have argued."

"No - you had every right to. Listen to me Belle, you have every right to be friends with whoever you want, you - you should just know a bit about their... background."

Bella had to look back down at her plate to hide her scowl. "If I'd had a magical tutor, I'd've known all about family trees." She spoke in barely a whisper, and a moment later, she was glad of it.

"I'm sorry?"

"Nothing." Said Bella in her normal tone. "I was just wondering if, maybe… Grandmother could tutor me. Etiquette, history, family stuff, you know."

To her surprise, Auntie nodded. "I was going to ask you about that actually - mum's been going on and on about it."

"Really? When can I start?" Exclaimed Bella.

"Well… I've been fending her off for years - I didn't think you'd actually want fancy traditional lessons, but I guess you might actually need them now you're in Slytherin."

"Oh." Was all Bella managed.

"I hated them, you know - lessons. She and dad had all three of us tutored." She grinned crookedly. "Mrs. Pembridge, that old hag. I have no doubt she's still alive - spite being the only thing keeping her going."

Bella looked at her aunt for a second before bursting out laughing. "If she's that bad, I can see why - why you'd hate lessons!"

By the time they'd finished dinner, they were both in much better spirits, and they retreated to the sitting room as Poppy cleared up.

Auntie sat by the fire in her armchair, reading the Prophet, with her cat, Hector draping himself partly on her lap and partly on the armrest. It was very cozy in the warm-rugged room, as the radio crackled with music, the Christmas tree twinkled, and outside the cold-frosted windows, darkness began to fall.

Bella was having good fun with Soren helping exercise his wing as Hagrid had instructed (closely watched by Hector). She would help him up as high as she could on the shelves, then run back to an increasing distance and catch him after he half-glided, half-flew into her hands.

He was quickly gaining confidence, exhibited in the constant loops and flips he was performing in midair.

After they both tired themselves out, Bella sprawled out on the couch and tried to teach Soren to sing. In theory, the fact that he spoke and could be heard should have meant that he could sing, but in reality, it came out sounding like a high-pitched, slightly melodious kazoo. It was very mouse-like, and extremely amusing, especially paired with the out of tune radio.

Gods rest ye merry hippogriffs,

Let nothing you dismay,

For Merlin will protect you

Apon this Christmas day,

So pass around a Butterbeer

And take the time to say:

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy,

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy!

It was midway through the second verse, as Bella sang the high note with a flourish and head whip that she noticed that it was snowing.

The entirety of the world (it seemed) had already been coated in a dusting of snowy slush, but this was real snow - the small, fast falling flakes of lasting snow, packing snow, snowball making snow - true snow.

"It's snowing!" Yelled Bella.

Hector slowly raised his head and blinked his eyes in acknowledgement, while Aunt Elena gave a noncommittal 'hmn' around her glass of wine.

Soren, on the other hand, jumped up from his perch on the radio and squeaked, ~Snow-fall?!~

~Yes! Snow!~ replied Bella.

~Oh, snow is the most useful!~

Using his newly exercised wings, he fluttered to the window, perching a cautious distance from the candle.

Bella quickly followed him over and began fiddling with the window latch. ~Is it? I would have thought that you wouldn't like it, what with being frozen and all.~

~Oh no~ the mouse said earnestly, ~If there had been snow when I fell, I would not be here! In snow, one can burrow, and in a burrow there is warmth.~

"Hm!" Said Bella. ~I never would have thought. It does make sense, though.~

With a click, the latch came undone, and Bella pushed the window open. She stuck her arms out, palm up, to catch the snowflakes - they were the soft kind of bitter cold, and she could feel their spirits.

0 0 0

It was still snowing when she woke the next morning. The floor was sharp and the windows were frost-blown, so Bella stepped gingerly to the window to look out. It was the sort of snow Bella had grown up with. This snow was not only shaken from the whitewash heavens; it came shawling out of the ground and swam and drifted out of the arms, hands and bodies of the trees; snow grew overnight on the roofs of the houses like a pure feathery moss, minutely white-ivying the walls and settling on the postman, like a dumb, numb thunderstorm of white, torn Christmas cards.

Bella stepped into her slippers, wrapped herself in her bathrobe, and opened her door. Soren, who had moved from his place on her pillow to under the still-warm sheets, let out a mumbled complaint.

~Don't you want breakfast?~ asked Bella.

He mumbled something else then unfurled himself, stretching his wings and tail. After a running leap, Soren flapped clumsily across the room before landing untidily on her chest and crawling into her pocket, making Bella giggle.

"Good morning to you too." She muttered.

She started down the hall, dodged a swipe from Hector (who was miraculously perched on Auntie's open door), flicked the mirror frame before it could say something about her bed-head, and headed for the kitchen.

In Bella's mind, it was the best Christmas Eve she'd ever had. After a steaming hot breakfast and a rousing cup of Poppy's strongest tea, Bella wrapped herself in her muggle warm clothes and stood patiently as Auntie coated her in warming charms. Then, she went stumping through the snow to Emily's house, only to have another breakfast there, provided by a bustling Mrs Merkel.

Bella and Emily spend a good portion of the day skidding dangerously down the hill-to-mainstreet on borrowed bicycles.* Bella's bicycle belonged to Lukas, the second oldest, so in order to even pedal, she had to stand up off the seat.

Henry and some of his friends came out too, and made a sport of throwing snowballs at the girls as they flew past. When one of them hit Bella in the head (very painfully), causing the bicycle to slide out from under her, she lay on the ground and pretended to cry. Henry came rushing over to see if she was all right, and stood poking her in the back saying, "Are you all right? Don't say anything to my mum - you can't be that badly hurt -"

Bella jumped up and shoved him by the shoulders, sending him bum-first into the snow.

"Ha! Twat!" She yelled, jumping on her bike and hurtling after Emily.

She heard the boys raucous laughter, but didn't see Henry's grudgingly appreciative smile.

After tea, Bella and Emily took Cassie (Emily's little sister) down to town to buy eggs and flour, and to window shop in the tiny little stores that lined the street. After a chat with Randal, the grocer, about how school was going, they continued down the street to the corner store and all piled their pocket money for some sweets.

They walked up and down the streets, eating and playing, occasionally meeting one of Bella's old classmates.

By the end of the day, they were all thoroughly exhausted, frozen, and happy.

0 0 0

On Christmas morning, Bella woke up with a start and a strange sense of familiarity. She lay in her bed for a moment and for a second, felt two warm hands touch either of her cheeks.

She sat up slowly, and Soren gave a dissatisfied chirp. Hanging from the foot of her bed, her stocking was stuffed full.

She poured it on the bed to sort through the candy canes, chocolates, miniature Cauldron Cakes, nectarines, walnuts for roasting, and little toys.

Soren quickly filled himself on crumbling Cauldron Cakes, but Bella only allowed herself a nectarine, saving herself for the delicious pancakes she could smell Poppy making. Leaving Soren flopped on the bed, stomach rounded, she got dressed quickly and brushed her hair.

The snow had piled up on her windowsill, and the ever burning candle was very slowly melting an indent from inside. The snow still fell lightly, but Bella could see out, over the town and into the storm-cast waters on the lake.

She leant on the sill, staring at the frosted edges of the lake and the angry white-capped waves still thrashing in the center.

~Happy Christmas, mother, father.~ she whispered.

The chilly quiet of the waking house felt suddenly felt deafening.

Then, a soft voice added, ~And a Blessed Yuletide.~

Soren had managed to fly (even with his added weight) to the sill, and sat next to her, his wing pressed against her arm.

~Did you ever know your parents?~ she asked him.

~I did.~ he ruffled his wings and looked more intently out the window, his small breaths making a tiny fog on the pane. ~My father, I barely remember, but I did know him - at some point. My mother took care of my siblings and myself until I was almost two season-cycles of age.~

Bella nodded. ~And you said you are six years old? Sorry - six season-cycles old?~

The mouse nodded.

~When I first woke up,~ Bella murmured, ~I felt for a moment that they were with me… My mother and father.~

Soren nodded again. ~When the boundaries between worlds are weak, spirits of great meaning can sometimes visit. Yule is such occasion.~

"Yeah." Said Bella.

She hesitated, then said, ~I saw my mother on Samhain.~

He looked up at her. ~It scared you? Or it hurt you?~

~No. Well… yes.~ she frowned.

~It hurts for those who have left us to leave us again.~

Bella scowled. ~You are far too wise for one so small.~

~I am not especially small!~ the mouse said indignantly.

Her lip quirked up. ~Oh? Last time I checked, you fit in my pocket!~

~Size is relative!~ he exclaimed.

Bella allowed herself to smile.

~If you say so.~ she extended her hand to him. ~Let's go to breakfast.~

Breakfast was a loud, warm, and excited affair. Poppy was even more excitable than usual, and so was everyone else. The pots and knives were flying about, preparing Christmas meals, the pancakes were being flipped from pan to plate, and Bella and Auntie couldn't help speaking loudly.

After breakfast, relatives were coming, as Christmas was to be held at their house that year. First to arrive was Grandmother, who Flooed in at nine o'clock sharp. Then came Aunt Hannah with Liam and Fable, then Great Auntie Florence and her husband, Barron. Great Uncle Linus also appeared with his wife (a surprise to everyone).

To Bella's delight, a few of her seal-sisters appeared: Auntie Serinelle (one of her mother's half-sisters) and her two of her daughters, Niahm and Sylvia, and finally, Aunt Hetysta and her human husband, Charles.

When everyone except for Uncle James (who would arrive for dinner) had assembled, they gathered in the sitting room, talking and exchanging gifts.

Bella got a very large pile of presents: sweets from all the Great Aunts and Uncles, an etiquette book from Grandmother, a polished seashell from Aunt Hestia, a handmade card from Fable, a scarf from Liam, a silver snake pendant from Uncle James and Aunt Hannah, a beautiful and strange necklace of shells and glass from Niahm and Sylvia, and 'The Lord of the Rings' from Auntie Elena. From Emily and the Merkels was a handful of slightly suspicious potions in tiny portable vials, 'Alice in Wonderland', as well from Emily, and a set of bracelets. She also finally opened her present from Daphne, which was three books: Madame Ferella's Etiquette', 'A Practical and Arithmantic View of Transfiguration', and 'European Wizarding Family Lines Throughout History'. To her surprise, she also got a dark blue knitted jumper, as well as a worn edition of 'The Essential Guide to Prankmaking' from Fred and George.

Dinner was spectacular. Three courses, followed by flaming pudding and a good deal of fire whiskey and eggnog. Bella was allowed a tiny cup of sweetened eggnog that burned it's way down her throat, warmed her stomach, and made her face and neck feel rather warm. The Uncles (now including James) were loudly talking about the latest Ministry mess-ups, and Bella got to catch up with all her cousins, as the children were all sat at one end of the long, crowded table.

There was Christmas crackers and singing, more alcohol for the adults, laughter, games, and more.

An hour or so after dinner, the Great Uncles had reclined into the large chintz armchairs, stomachs bulging, coats unbuttoned and ties undone, rather like walruses. Their cigars smoked up the sitting room with the warm smell of nutmeg; they all had a particular way of smoking - they'd inhale, cough, then hold their cigar out at arms length, as though to examine it, and then repeat.

The Great Aunts perched on the edges of their chairs, sipping tea, looking fragile, and almost afraid to break. Uncle James and Charles were still arguing, while Aunt Hetysta had had slightly too much elderberry wine, and was in the garden, singing like a big-breasted robin - a song about lost love and clouds - as the other aunts tutted at her.

The darkness began to gather, and the family gathered in the now warm, sent-filled sitting room. Uncle Linus (who had continued through two entire bottles of mulled mead) treated them all to a spirited edition of 'Little Drummer Boy', with a dance and drum included, and Aunt Hetysta followed, singing another soulful song about love.

Bella, still feeling slightly warm-headed from the eggnog, introduced Soren and sang 'Gods Rest ye Merry Hippogriffs' with him until everyone had joined in and the mouse stood on top of her head, conducting with his wings.

Snowflakes began to fall again outside the ice-brittle windows, and they gathered around the piano to sing 'On to Bethlehem Town'.

It was ever so warm that Bella wanted to simple stay in the moment forever; with the slight untuned piano, the mixture of voices and smells, the crackling fire, and the snow.

As the song finished and they began 'All Through the Night', Bella quietly kissed her Aunties and cousins goodnight, picked up a candle and headed upstairs. The snow was falling harder now, quieting the window with its soft sound. And, as Bella got into her warm bed, the muffled voices carried up and rang around her:

Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee,

All through the night

Guardian angels God will send thee,

All through the night

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping

Hill and Dale in slumber sleeping

I, my love, my vigil keeping,

All through the night

 **CUT! End of the chapter! Please leave a comment, tell me what I did wrong (or right?). Thanks for reading. Please also check out my new story: ANOTHER PLANE OF MAGIC (THE PHYSICIAN'S APPRENTICE) Its a crossover; Harry Potter/Merlin, and is based on the concept of Luna Lovegood losing her ability to believe once the war is over. She is brought back into the hustle-bustle of Merlin/Arthur age Camelot. Trying to also make it semi-historically accurate, so, go check it out! I've only got one chapter up.**

Please read-

NOTES:

Bella's family is as follows:

Grandmother has two sisters and a brother, all of whom are married. Uncle James (Grandmother's first son & Bella's father's brother) is married and has two children. Bella's mother, Elizabella had numerous siblings/half-siblings simply because of the way that Selkie families work. Selkie families are traced maternally.

Merkel family is made up of:

Mrs Merkel - busy, warm stay at-home

Mr Merkel - distant but very kind and caring, works the post office

Oma Merkel / Grandmother Sara - witch, potions, strict but kindly

Geoffrey (Jeff)- 19, eldest, long, floppy hair, headed for uni

Lukas - 15, the drums player, loud and tall, takes up a lot of space

Susan - 13 - tall, pretty girl with black hair, smart and amazing at potions

Claudia - 12, follower of her older sister, popular at school, twin to Henry

Henry - 12, loud, playful, teasing but kind, funny, twin to Claudia

EMILY - 11, Bella's best friend, average height, intelligent, funny, "omnivert" - can be outgoing OR more introverted

Cassie - 7, energetic, gambling

James (Jamie) - 6, tall for age, quieter, reader

Roger (Rogie) - 2, the baby of the family

*A peryton is a stag/bird hybrid. While they are sometimes portrayed as vicious and evil, in my experience with myths they only attack when threatened and are the basis for the whole 'flying reindeer' thing. In my mind, they just look like a large stags with brown feathered wings. Plz correct me if I've got my facts wrong.

** Idk if I've mentioned Soren's species' name, but it's pronounced (PEN-ah-moos). It literally means 'feathered mouse', so it seemed a proper name for a species of flying mice.

*** I BY NO MEANS ENDORSE THIS - PLEASE NEVER DO THIS! When I was younger my friends and I would do this every winter, and I lost a tooth, a large chunk of my knee, and very nearly my tongue.


	11. Secrets of the Forest pt 1

**Chapter Ten: Secrets of the Forest pt. 1**

 **Hello again people, welcome back! I haven't been sure in which order to post these next few chapters. I'm almost certain that this will be chapter Ten, pt. 2 will be eleven, and 'The Beast Plots' will be twelve. This chapter really was supposed to include what will be part 2, bug it ran over my phone's word limit, so part 2 will be along soon.**

 **I don't own the HP plot, or any of the characters except my OCs. Hope you like!**

 _ **~This means Fey~**_

 _[…] You see that girl in the hallway  
Smile on her face as she walks away_

 _Trying to tear her down was your first mistake  
'Cause little do you know she wasn't built to break_

 _Cause you don't hurt me  
I won't mold to _

_Your silly words  
I won't live inside your world  
Because your punches and your names  
All your jokes and stupid games  
They don't work  
No they don't hurt  
Watch them just go right through me  
Because they mean nothing to me_

 _I'm not clay_

'Clay' - Grace VanderWaal

The rest of the Christmas holiday was spent in company of family and friends. On boxing day, Bella visited the ocean with her cousins and aunties, but after that, she stayed at home.

In the second week of break, Bella quickly fell into a routine: she woke up, ate, ran or biked over to Emily's house, came home for lunch, ended up getting tutored by Grandmother, escaped, swam in the lake, then had dinner and went to bed.

In reality, Bella was very grateful that Grandmother was making time to tutor her, but she had sort of been hoping they could do it during the _summer_ holiday. It did make sense to do it at the middle of the school year though, so Bella dedicated herself to two and a half hours of learning before making her escape each day. Most of the lessons were on things like family trees and how Bella's classmates were related to who, as well as etiquette, acting, and speech. Over that week, Grandmother grew increasingly impressed as Bella forced herself to retain the information she was being told.

"If only I could learn this much for Transfiguration!" Said Bella, at the end of one of her lessons.

"Perhaps," said Grandmother, in her pensive way, "it is as easy as forcing yourself to understand it."

Bella nodded and 'hm'ed politely as she'd been taught, but didn't think much of it.

 _Now I see why Daphne acts the way she does with adults_ , thought Bella, later on. _The most important thing ever is impressions, it seems_.

She also learnt why Draco Malfoy had so much respect from the others in her year, as well as the years above them.

"Yes, yes…" Grandmother said dismissively, "the Crabbes and especially the Goyles have been in servitude to the Malfoys for _years_." She flapped her hand as though this was no more than a bit of family gossip.

" _Servitude?_ " Exclaimed Bella in horror.

'Servitude' (as she had recently learnt) was when a family of middle standing was so indebted to a higher class family that they were forced into loyalty and service to that family. If the family they were serving ordered it, one family member might be forced to kill his own mother - and this had actually happened once or twice in history.

Grandmother frowned and shifted in her spindly chair. "Oh, yes - it had something to do with a life debt and quite a lot of Malfoy cunning. Not a family to be trifled with, no. I knew Lord Abraxas Malfoy -" (she quirked an eyebrow) "an absolute charmer, political master, and one of the most dangerous young men of his time."

Bella shuddered. The Malfoy that _she_ knew didn't seem that bad, but then again, it wasn't as if she spoke to him very often. To her, he seemed like a bit of a spoilt prat who was disappointed at having his thunder stolen by one Harry Potter.

When she voiced this quietly, Grandmother laughed and agreed, but warned her to never say that in any presence she didn't trust.

"The Malfoys have a network - while only a handful still bear the name, they have many a blood relations to bring them news, and move huge sums of money around." Grandmother nodded wisely. "Try not to irk the young Malfoy - it wouldn't bode well for you."

"Right." Bella said tightly, frustrated that she now _had_ to listen to the annoying boy like the other first years.

"Now," began Grandmother, and promptly launched into a lecture on how to properly sit in a relaxed area like the common room.

With a sigh and a sudden surge of sympathy for Daphne and the other posh Slytherin girls who must have gone through even stricter lessons since they were tiny, Bella sat on the loveseat the way that Grandmother instructed.

It wasn't that she wasn't incredibly grateful she was getting the lessons - she most certainly needed them - it just took a great deal of focus.

Perhaps Grandmother was right. To get better at anything she had to focus, and maybe that was what she needed to do in her Transfiguration classes. Professor Allsopp was a very good teacher, as was Professor McGonagall, and they both had managed to produce Master-level Transfiguration students. Perhaps it was entirely _her_ fault that she was still behind in Transfiguration. Apart from the extra homework she did for Professor Allsopp, Bella suddenly realized that she didn't put much more effort into it than she did in any other class.

Something must have shown on her face, because Grandmother asked if there was anything bothering her.

"Nothing, Grandmother." She replied definitively, like she was learning to. "I was just realizing I might need to change a bit more than I thought."

Bella looked into her grandmother's thin, well worn face. It had a softer look upon it.

"You don't need to change in front of me, or your aunt - or any of your friends for that matter." She shifted from her chair to sit on the loveseat beside Bella. "To be entirely honest, I've never liked the way children are forced to change depending on what house they are put in. It has shaped the English Wizarding community profoundly. But you were put in Slytherin for traits that you already possess and have the potential to develop."

"Yeah." Muttered Bella quietly. "That's what the sorting hat told me as well."

"Do think about it then." Replied Grandmother.

It was later that afternoon, after her swim in the lake, that she asked Emily what _she_ thought about it all. They were sitting on Bella's bed, flipping through _TeenWitch_ when Emily pointed to a pretty dark green dress robe on the right hand page.

"You ought to wear that - you'd look a fancy in it!" She said enthusiastically.

"I dunno…" muttered Bella, thinking of what Grandmother had said earlier, and asked, "D'you mean 'cause I'm Slytherin?"

"Yeah! 'Course I do. You'd look just like all the other ones - if you put your hair up like that picture of Joriah Stone." Emily turned to reach for the stack of magazines on Bella's bedside table, probably looking for a picture of the gorgeous witch singer.

Bella lay back on her bed with a _thump_ , hair spread out and shirt-tag poking at her neck uncomfortably. She looked up at her ceiling, which had a series of thin cracks running through it, and frowned.

"D'you think I've changed since being sorted into Slytherin?" She asked aloud.

Emily looked at her thoughtfully from under her arm (she was bent over, still looking for the magazine). "Kinda… I mean - you've got your posh lessons now, so you sit up straighter… but really, you've always a Slytherin in a subtle way."

Bella raised her eyebrow and scrunched her lips.

"Do you think I ought to be _in_ Slytherin though?" She asked seriously.

"Yeah… I do actually." Said Emily, flipping to the middle page of a different magazine, then looking back up at Bella's confused face. "Don't be _thick_ , Belle! Just because our-... your yearmates don't act just like you doesn't mean that you don't have the same traits as them. What're the Slytherin traits again? Cunning, ambition, self-preservation, and - I dunno, resourcefulness?"

Bella nodded, scrunching up her chin because she was lying down.

With a sigh, Emily flopped back onto the bed next to her and said, "Cunning just means you're good at planning things, which you _are_ \- remember that time we beat the boys at cricket? Yeah! You came up with that plan!"

"With help from you, Susan, and Claudia." Bella muttered.

Emily ignored her. "Ambition means wanting something for the future. Last I checked, you've been planning to be a Healer since we were six."

"Fair enough."

"Ha!" Responded Emily.

Bella dropped her hand across her face and said in a muffled voice, "That doesn't prove anything though…"

"Ugh!" Emily cried. "You're _impossible_ , Belle! Self-preservation was next - right? Yep - well, you're nice to everyone -"

"Tha-" began Bella.

"Shut up, and let me finish! You're nice to everyone, so you don't make people mad at you, _therefore,_ you're making sure you haven't got people gossiping about you or something." Emily finished with a loud exhale. "You have every right to be in Slytherin, Bella."

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Bella examined a water-splodge on the ceiling that looked a bit like a swan.

Emily sighed again. "You're just lucky you _can_ go to Hogwarts."

"Oh." Said Bella quietly, suddenly realising how obnoxious she was being. "Sorry."

There was a long silence as they lay side by side, staring at the ceiling. Eventually, Bella turned her head to look at her friend.

"Ach!" Emily coughed, pushing Bella's hair out of her face and mouth. "Ick! That was - disgustin' - I just bloody ingested half your hair!"

Bella turned onto her side, heaving with laughter. "S - sorry, Em- Emily!" She spluttered.

Emily (who had a thick, but straight haired bob that was pinned back perfectly, as opposed to Bella's long, tangled hair) scowled, mouth twitching as she contained a smile.

Half an hour later, when Poppy came to fetch them for supper, they were still giggling, now looking for a dress for Emily, whom Bella had convinced was a Slytherin as well.

At dinner, Auntie mentioned that they were out of eggs, and Bella said she could get some, so Bella ended up bicycling down the hill to town. Emily, of course, went with her, and they ended up meeting a group of Emily's school friends and wandering around with them for a while as dusk fell.

Hettie, one of the other girls, decided that it was the optimal time to call Robert, a boy she fancied. So, they all crammed into one of the lone telephone boxes, giggling and yelling, everyone trying to find coins for it. Everyone hushed, though, when the phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Came the muffled voice.

"Hello." Replied Hettie, with what Bella thought was an admirable amount of composure. "Is this Robert?"

They all waited with held breaths.

"Yeah. Who's this?"

Hettie covered the receiver and they all squealed, as if they hadn't been expecting him to pick up at all.

Instead of answering him, Hettie said all at once, "I really, really fancy you!"

There was a muffled, "Oh." and Bella could almost see the boy flushing. She grinned.

"Well," He continued, "what d'you want to do? Go out?"

"Yes!" Shrieked Hettie, and hung up.

Bella was almost certain that it had been a rhetorical question, but she squealed along with all the other girls.

They sang, 'God Save the Queen', at the top of their lungs, which was quite a feat, being squished in a phone box, and continued all along mainstreet. They also ended up begging some hot cocoa from the young man in the coffee bar, and walked up to the center square to look at the lights that were still up.

Bella and Emily broke off from the group to actually get the eggs she had been sent for, and walked in silence down the snow padded streets for a few minutes, before Emily asked quietly, "D'you think Hettie's ever heard of a chat-up line?"

They burst into laughter, and raced each other to the corner store where they'd left their bikes.

As she waved to Emily at her friend's front gate a few minutes later, Bella smiled again, glad that she had spent her last night home having fun.

She strained up the rest of the hill, careful not to jostle the eggs that were tied to her handlebars.

0 0 0

The next day dawned bright, pale, and ice cold. Bella actually stepped directly into her slippers, like they did in muggle films, to avoid touching the gap of frozen wood between her bed and the multicolour woven carpet that covered some of her floor. She brushed her teeth and hair (she still couldn't figure out the charms to do either of these things), got dressed (savoring her last day not in uniform for a while), and finished packing her trunk. This term, she was bringing three more decorative pillows to make a barrier between herself and the cold stone walls of her bed nook, and a little wicker carrying case for her toiletries - she had learnt from Lucy and the older girls that it was the easiest thing. Finally, she placed a slip of muggle photos of her, Emily, Henry, and Claudia they had taken a few days before in one of those funny camera boxes she still didn't understand into the side of her trunk.

Once she had called Poppy to take it to the sitting room, Bella started down the stairs and quite nearly died. Hector, Aunt Elena's sadistic cat, had recently decided that there was much less effort to killing someone in lying across steps on darkened stairways than balancing on top of open doors and attempting to take passer-bys' heads off. It had been first tested when Emily and her older sisters, Claudia and Susan had come by to drop off a set of potions for Auntie (as they were more apt at brewing than Aunt Elena, even with all her years at Hogwarts) and Claudia had tripped down the back steps over Hector, and bounced all the way down the garden. She was alright, only dazed, due to the fact that squib-born children tended to have a small magical core.

Bella had tripped multiple times, Henry and Lukas (more of Emily's siblings) had tripped into each other and resulted in Henry's broken ankle, and even Aunt Elena had fallen victim to her own cat.

To say the least, they were still getting used to it.

In this case, Bella tread on the soft fur of Hector's stomach, did a little hop-step over him and caught herself on the banister, before turning around go glare at him.

~ _Stop doing that!_ ~ she hissed.

Hector simply purred in response.

Soren, who had taken to sitting on her shoulder, squeaked a few indignant (and very rude) words at the cat as well.

~ _You'd think he's listen to me.~_ Bella muttered to her mouse. ~ _But,_ no _. The only time I see him even somewhat ashamed is when Auntie yells at him.~_

 _~It is a terrible monster.~_ Soren hissed.

~ _Often true.~_ Bella agreed, and they headed for breakfast.

It was quite a hassle to get everything ready and in front of the fireplace. Bella half wondered what it would be like if she had siblings. Fred and George had told her all about the troubles of having to many siblings, as did Emily, but Bella still couldn't help wish she had a little brother, or something.

… Perhaps a dog.

They arrived at Kings Cross Station at ten thirty-five, got all Bella's things onto the train, and said goodbyes. Lily soon spotted her, and they ran off to sit with Padma, Sue, and Morag in a compartment in the middle of the train. After the train started moving and Daphne still hadn't found them, Bella and Padma went to look for her.

They did find the compartment where the other Slytherin girls were sitting, and asked if they'd seen her. Pansy and Tracey glared with even more venom than usual at Bella, but Rachel, Vera, and Millie said they'd seen her on the platform talking to her older sister. Remembering her manners, Bella thanked them all politely (even Pansy), and they left. Padma then dragged Bella to talk to the boys, most of whom were in another compartment in the next car. Padma slid the door open, and Bella said, "Hello, Malfoy, Zabini, Crabbe…. Goyle. Um… Sorry to bother, but we were wondering where Daphne is. Have any of you seen her?"

There were the customary negative grunts from Crabbe and Goyle, before Blaise Zabini replied, "Yeah, I saw her talking to her older sister - Elenora, I believe."

Malfoy nodded, then added slowly, "She said she was looking for you." He sneered. "Are you two best mates now, or something?"

Bella blinked at him incredulously, while Padma had a coughing fit behind her. She was saved from finding a polite response by Blaise, who snorted loudly. "You blind, mate? You've really ought to pay attention - they've been friends since the beginning of the year. Isn't this the kind of thing your father's been lectu-"

"Shut up." Malfoy hissed.

"-he's been lecturing you about?" Continued Blaise in a mocking tone."'You must pay closer attention Draco, it is your own fault if you cause -"'

"Shut _up._ " Malfoy said again.

Bella and Padma glanced at each other, feeling awkward.

Blaise continued anyway. "'- if you end up paired with some low-rank half-blood, it'll be your fault -"'

Malfoy began talking over him. "Says you - you haven't got enough common sense to fill up my little finger!"

"'-and when the Malfoy name comes crashing down, it'll be _your_ fault -"

"- stupid bastard, you couldn't -"

"- prat!"

"Son of a w-"

"Squib!"

"Oh, you - _asshat_!"

"Well, now we know how well mannered you are!" Padma interrupted with a sweet voice.

Bella giggled at Blaise's unrepentant face and Malfoy's deep scowl.

"I have to say, you win for most creative insult, though." She pointed at Malfoy, who puffed up his chest and turned on Blaise to say 'ha! I win'.

Still giggling, the two girls said goodbye, thanked them for the information, and began to walk back to their compartment.

Of course, for all their effort, Daphne Greengrass was standing outside their compartment, leaning against the wall to keep her balance, with her arms crossed, and a furious look on her face. Her long, dark hair was pin straight as usual, hanging in front of her face.

"Hi, Daph!" Said Padma, who was ahead of Bella. "Are you alright?"

Daphne gave what might have been an attempted polite smile, but came out as more of a grimace.

"I'm fine. Nice to see you Padma." she spoke tightly.

Bella edged around Padma to greet Daphne. "We've been looking all over for y-" she began.

"Can I talk to you? Now?" Interrupted Daphne.

With a frown, Bella nodded. "Of course. What's the matter?"

Daphne didn't respond, but grabbed her arm, gave a polite nod to Padma, and dragged Bella with her down the narrow aisle as the train jolted unceremoniously. She only let go when they'd reached the end of the car, where a thin glass window separated them from the next car, and the joints rattled and creaked.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" She demanded.

"Wot?" Bella said, in utter confusion.

Daphne's face screwed into an even more bitter scowl. "Why didn't you tell me about the Council?"

"Wh- ...oh"

"Yeah!" Exclaimed Daphne, waving her arms wildly. "That! The Council that my sister's a part of? The one that could quite literally change my _life_? The one I've known about since I was _nine_?!"

"I should've." Said Bella quietly, looking down at her boot-laces.

This apparently wasn't the response Daphne was expecting, as she dropped her arms to her sides and said sharply; "Sorry?"

"I should've told you all about it." Bella repeated. "I didn't even understand what it was - my uncle told me it was important to be on the good side of the Council, but I didn't really understand how important it was to family legacies." Daphne didn't said anything, so Bella hesitated before continuing. "And, well… My Grandmother taught me all about family trees, and how people ought to act, and that sort of thing… I 'spose I didn't really get it before. I really should've told you."

Daphne looked at her for a long moment. "Yes. You should have."

Bella didn't know what to say to that, so she went back to hanging her head. There was an awkward pause as the train rattled and shook through a small town.

"Does that mean that you know about the monster on the third floor? Elenora said she knew, but wouldn't tell me."

"Shh!" Whispered Bella. "I don't think people are 'sposed to know about it!" She hesitated, then said quickly, "But yeah, I think the current census is that they've narrowed it down to a dragon, a manticore, or a cerberus."

"Ha!" Daphne hissed in excitement, seeming to have forgotten about being angry. "I was right, I was right!" She did a little jig in the small space, before remembering herself and scowling at Bella again.

There was another awkward silence where Daphne glared and Bella, and Bella looked determinedly out the window.

"Well?" Snapped Daphne suddenly. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?!"

Bella looked evenly into her friend's angry face, drew a breath to respond, and burst into giggles. At Daphne's scandalized face, she laughed even harder. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! You just - you just sound… _exactly_ like one of - one of my prim'ry school teachers!" She took a gasping breath, then spoke again. "And it's not as if I'm some _important_ person! I haven't got that many secrets - I'm just quite boring."

Daphne (who was obviously biting down a smile) looked as though she were about to say something, but decided against it and hesitated. "Fine. Let's go see the others."

And that was the end of it.

The new term seemed strangely different. Well, things _were_ different - the first years had a great deal more homework, higher expectations from the teachers, and exam revisions to do, but those weren't the only things.

Everyone seemed to act different as well - but by the end of their first week back, Bella had realized that this was because she sort of _understood_ things better. Why was Lucy talking to that Ravenclaw prefect with such respect? His great uncle was Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic. Why was Padma angry at Parvati? Parvati had accepted a marriage arrangement with the son of the Raaja of Aakaash'dvaar.* Why did Angelina Barkova look at Elliot Sterling the way she did? Not only was he attractive, but he was also the Heir Presumptive to the Sterling family, owner of eleven votes to the Wizengamot, and the soon-to-be owner of the Sterling Estate once he turned eighteen.

Somehow, things made much more sense as well as being utterly confusing at the same time.

Council meetings started up again, and Bella found herself relapsing into the sleep deprivation she hadn't been aware of having during the first term. The only nights she got any actual sleep were Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Perhaps this was for the better though, as when she _did_ fall asleep, nightmares haunted her. She never remembered them, but she was distinctly aware that they were getting worse. Because of all this, Bella was extremely glad she wasn't on the Quidditch Team (their practices were getting longer and longer), or in a club.

The final thing that was putting her over the edge was Pansy. Before, the other girl had managed to be politely bossy to her, and nothing more than a slight annoyance, but now, it seemed that Pansy had it out for her. In the first week of term alone, Bella was sure that Pansy had mastered the Trip Jinx, simply by practicing on her. Pansy would send cutting spells at her hair, knock over her ink bottles, steal her homework, talk loudly about her ugly crooked teeth right in front of her, tell her to eat vegetables, push puddings and desserts out of her hands, reminding her not to get any fatter, and worst of all: insult her mother. In Pansy's mind, Bella's mother was a muggle, or a squib or something horrible, and that was why she was half-blooded.

At first, Bella ducked her head and ignored it, while Daphne stuck out her tongue and pulled her away protectively. But, after awhile, she got sick of it, and (blatantly ignoring her recent etiquette lessons) talked back. It took until mid-Feburary for her to find our what she'd done to bring on such an onslaught of cruelty.

It was the week before Bella's birthday; a Saturday, covered in yet another layer of fresh snow. They were headed to the warm library to finish their homework, and Daphne was leading the way out of the relative warmth of the halls and across a courtyard. There was a group of boys throwing snowballs at each other and yelling, and Bella and Daphne laughed as Professor Flitwick came through a door, almost got hit by a snowball, and promptly turned around. (Oh shite, Matt! Ye almost shanked a teacher in th' face!") Suddenly, there was a shout of, "Look out!" and the two girls looked around wildly before diving out of the way as a huge pile of snow that had been levitating above where they stood fell with a _thump_! Bella realized that she'd knocked someone else out of the way by accident, and immediately began apologising profusely. Once she had stood up again, she realized that it was none other that Draco Malfoy.

 _Oh bother_ , Bella thought.

"I'm so sorry!" She said again, wondering if it was proper for a girl to offer a hand up (as he was still sprawled on the ground) and decided she might as well.

Malfoy scowled at her hand and opened his mouth to say something nasty, from the look of it, but then he closed his mouth and clenched his jaw. He took her hand and allowed himself to be helped up.

Bella opened her mouth to apologize again, but he spoke first, saying tightly, "I accept your apology."

He dusted himself off, stood up straighter, then turned to Crabbe and Goyle and said, "Let's go inside before we have more snow dumped on us."

Pressing her lips together to stop from laughing, Bella turned to look at Daphne with her eyebrows raised.

" _He's finally learnt some manners!_ " Mouthed Daphne, and they burst out laughing, linking their arms, and continuing on, until they were blocked by a very angry Pansy and Tracey.

"I knew it!" Pansy shrieked. "You!" (She pointed viciously at Bella) "You! You - if they decide against my father's betrothal offer then I'll - I'll - _you_ will _suffer_!"

It took a minute for Bella to process what Pansy had said, and another minute to figure out how to respond.

"You mean…" She hesitated, trying to word her thoughts politely, and glanced at Daphne. "You mean that you think I've been offered betrothal with _Malfoy_? I value my family traditions and I'll tell you that in my family, no one's been offered in marriage since the seventeen hundreds - I'm almost certain that I will be marrying whoever I please."

"Well -" began Pansy, but Daphne cut in.

"It's been very nice talking with you, Pans, but we've got to get to… class." And with that, she pulled Bella around the two girls and towards the library, where they'd originally been headed.

"You are aware that it's Saturday?" Said Bella as they turned a corner.

"Yes."

Bella grinned. "And that we don't have classes on Saturdays?"

"Yes! It was the first thing I could think of- stop laughing!" Exclaimed Daphne.

"Fine." Muttered Bella, sobering. "D'you think she meant it? Me being betrothed to _Malfoy_?"

"I think…" Began Daphne, who was opening one of the side doors to the library. "I think that I know why she thinks so."

"Why then?" Bella demanded, pulling out a chair and sitting down at the dark study table.

Daphne sat down next to her and began taking out her weekend homework.

"Because, at the Winter Gala, my mum really did talk you up - you and your family, and, well… Astoria was talking to Pansy, and we were right next to our parents, and Lady Malfoy - Draco's mother - said something like 'we might as well send a marriage proposal to them'." She hesitated, frowning at her eagle feather quill. "Well, it makes sense that Pansy's stupid enough to take it seriously - and her father's had her hand in marriage open to the Malfoys since we were three."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

Daphne snorted. "Is 'stupidest' even a word?"

"Now it is."

Bella pulled out her extra Transfiguration reading, her half-finished essay, a quill, and a bottle of ink. The bottle of ink was empty, and when she uncorked it to look inside, she found that a very rude word had been written on the bottom.

She sighed and showed it to Daphne, who, sensing that it had actually hurt her feelings, said lightly, "Sweet Merlin - the amount of effort she puts into being mean!"

Over the next week, Bella threw herself into her work, studying, memorizing, and revising to avoid Pansy (and by extension, Tracey). Mostly, she focused on Transfiguration; sitting in the back during class and not speaking for concentration, spending a good portion of her free periods and study hours with Professor Allsopp (who was surprised but impressed with her sudden determination), and even practicing during Council meetings.

Apart from distracting herself from Pansy's bullying, Bella was also determinedly keeping her mind off a particular anniversary. Two days after her birthday was the day her father had died.

But, on the twenty-second, Bella woke to find Daphne, present in hand, standing next to her bed. Then her dorm mates (Pansy and Tracey quickly left to go to the toilet) sang 'Happy Birthday', which make her go bright red. She thanked and hugged the other girls, opened Daphne's present (another Transfiguration book), and went to breakfast. It was a perfectly normal day, and Bella smiled and laughed when Lucy brought back a huge bag of sweets and a package of dungbombs for her from Hogsmeade Village.

The day after, was another matter - she went through the motions, smiling at people like usual, taking to her friends as usual. No one said anything, though Bella had no doubt they noticed something was wrong.

That night, she barely slept, dreams and memories she usually managed to forget plaguing her.

 _The walls of the nursery were smoking, the door was in flames, and Bella, in her nightgown, began yelling for her father. She could hear the crackling of fire, the distant crashes as the roof began to cave in. And then -_

" _Belle! BELLE! Where are you?! Can you say something else darling?" It was her father._

" _I'm here dada!" Her voice was small and thin, already hoarse from the smoke. "The walls are on fire - dada, where are you?"_

" _I'm coming darling!" He said something incomprehensible, then she heard - "Eliza! She's still in the nursery! Go and get her - I've got to get the notes!"_

 _Bella sat in her bed, trembling and crying, holding her blankets around her in an attempt to ward off the fire that was now creeping up the walls. The door was thrown open, and a wave of water swept across the floor, creating an explosion of steam. Mother rushed across the room, and picked her up with one arm. Her free hand she pressed against the window latch - it sprung open._

 _Suddenly, there was a terrible yelling scream, and Elizabella spun as if to run toward the noise, but flames were covering the doorway entirely now. Instead, she opened the window further, swung her legs over the sill, and dropped. It was a story-tall drop, into the bushes that trimmed the back of the house - Bella's head snapped back into her mother's chin, and they both yelled in pain._

 _There was a crash from behind them, and a huge part of the foundation collapsed, followed by the part of the house sat atop it. Mother screamed, and began to run, clinging to and shielding Bella's body with her own. There was another one of those terrible bellowing screams, and mother dropped Bella, whose knees crumpled and gave out under her._

" _Mama?" She asked._

" _Stay there Bellie." Mother spoke quietly, with such force that tears welled up again in Bella's eyes. "I need to get your father. You have to stay here, do you understand?"_

 _She nodded._

 _And then, she looked up. She was barely aware that mother was running back towards the house, for all Bella could see was the fire - everywhere. climbing the walls, gnawing at the floors, spiraling through the air, taking the form of beasts and creatures. The house was now a burning pire, owned by terrible spirits of flame, and it was eating her Dada - she could hear him, just barely - his screams were growing fainter, and she just didn't understand! What was happening?_

 _Part of the fire was swooping down at her from the roof, wings spread, and horrible beak open wide in a roar of victory. Stumbling to her bare feet, she began to back up, and as the eagle bore down on her, she screamed._

"Bella! Bella! What's wrong Bella? What's wrong with you?!"

Her eyes snapped open. Faces were swimming on the edge of her vision, voices ringing in her ears. Daphne, on the verge of tears, was shaking her. "What's the matter Bella? Why were you yelling?"

"I - I had a… I had a nightmare." Bella stammered.

"We were so worried! You wouldn't wake up for breakfast, and when we came back up to check on you, you were yelling and thrashing around."

Bella closed her eyes tightly, making stars swirl behind her lids, and tried to erase the image of those great flames swooping down at her.

"I'm… fine." She said hesitantly. "It's Monday, right?"

Daphne nodded.

"We have Potions first?"

"Yeah." Daphne murmured. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Mh-hm." Bella sat up, feeling dizzy. "You can go to class. Don't get in trouble because I didn't sleep well."

"If you're sure…"

Nodding, Bella stood up and began to take out her uniform. "Go on."

She got dressed as fast as she could, but her vision was strangely blurred; from tears or memories, she couldn't tell. After brushing her teeth, she splashed water on her face and looked deeply into the mirror. Her dark blue eyes stuck out like they always did, but now they were puffy and red as well, and she had a handful more spots around her hairline. She took a deep breath, splashed a bit more water on her face, and tucked the loose hair escaping her day-old French plaits behind her ears.

With a glance at the clock, a shriek, and a hissed word she would never have said in front of Auntie, Bella skidded down the hall, grabbed her things for Potions and History of Magic, sprinted down the halls with her robes flying and barely made it into the Potions classroom before the bell rang.

Pansy, Tracey, Vera, Millie, and the boys were laughing about something loudly in the back of the class, and some of the Ravenclaws were grinning too. Bella sat down next to Padma, with Daphne and Lily in the seats behind them.

"Are you OK?" asked Lily and Padma, at almost the same time.

Bella began to say, "Yeah, I -" but then, she heard what the others were laughing about.

"- she was thrashing about, screaming and crying like a baby!" Laughed Pansy, who was positively in stitches.

"It's true!" said Tracey meanly. "I thought she was going to wee herself!"

"Do you think there's something wrong with her?" Asked Samuel Wilkes, looking directly at Bella. "Maybe," he continued in a stage whisper, "she's mental - maybe she has fits or something."

Bella pressed her lips together and looked down at the table. She could feel the irritant itch of tears pressing at her eyes.

"That'd explain a lot!" Said Tracey, also in a stage whisper.

For the first time, Bella was glad when Snape swept into the classroom and docked a point from their house for 'disruptive behavior' barely a minute into the lesson.

Even though she concentrated on taking notes, Bella could still hear the whispers, giggles, and short bursts of laughter from the back of the class. Worst of all, she could feel their eyes in the back of her head - she wasn't used to such attention, especially in the negative form. Bella eventually sunk into the desk and wrapped her head in her arms.

How on earth was she letting this bother her, when six years ago, on this day, she'd heard her father burnt alive? Why did she still remember? If she didn't look at the picture of him she kept on her shelf, she began to forget his face. And yet, somehow, his voice was stuck in her head; his desperate yells for her, and the horrible screams that she had heard as he -

She couldn't even think of it.

"Professor?" She said quietly as he paused, looking at her raised hand.

"Yes, Ms. Dagworth?" He drawled.

"May I use the toilet?"

Usually, students didn't dare ask to leave his class, but she couldn't stand anything for a moment longer.

"You may." Snape said, with a sneer.

Getting up, and smoothing the back of her robes, Bella hurried from the room, the sound of open laughter following her all the way down the dark stone corridor. Finding the nearest girls toilets, she slipped into a stall, locked the door, slammed the toilet-lid shut, and sat down cross-legged on it so no one would be able to see that there was someone occupying the stall. She buried her face in her hands and let out a muffled sob.

 _Why does Pansy have to be so terrible?_ she wondered. _Why can't I just forget everything?_

After a good half hour, when Bella had cried enough to reduced her to pathetic hiccups, she heard the toilet door open, and footsteps walk up to her stall.

"Bella?" Daphne said quietly. "Come out please… the bell's going to ring in a minute. We've got to go to History."

"I know…" Bella spoke in a muffled voice, as she couldn't bring herself to removing her hands from her face.

Daphne sighed. "Bella, you've got to ignore Pansy and the others. Don't let them get to you! That's what they want -"

"It's not that!" Interrupted Bella. "Today was the day… the day my-... my father was ki- killed!" She hiccuped.

"Oh." Daphne murmured.

"I thought… you knew." Sobbed Bella. "T-two days after my birthday, a group of Death Eaters who were still on the loose attacked my- our house. My father had refused to join them during the war, and he had… he was a Potioneer… and they wanted something from him, but he said no, and… and they came and burnt our house down!"

"Oh…" Daphne said again.

After a long pause that Bella filled with more pathetic hiccup-sobs, Daphne whispered, " _Alohamora!_ " and the stall latch snapped open.

Bella didn't look up until she felt Daphne's arm around her. The other girl's dark hair fell in her face, but Bella could still see the tears glistening in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Whispered Daphne, barely loud enough for Bella to hear. "I knew they were gone, but I… oh Bella! How do you stand it?"

This set Bella off into sobs again, and they ended up moving to sit on the windowsill until break, ignoring the other girls who came in. A few older girls came over, asking what was wrong in deeply sympathetic voices, before Daphne managed to ward them off.

Eventually, they went to Charms, and Bella suffered through it, ignoring the girls who wouldn't stop laughing about her, and the boys who asked her if she actually cried in her sleep. During lunch, they sat in a courtyard without eating, and Soren distracted her by doing loop-de-loops in the air.

It wasn't until Herbology (the last class of the day), that Pansy actually spoke to Bella directly.

Bella was staring at her pot of Bubbling Blueberries, wondering whether anyone would notice if she dove into the Black Lake and didn't come back for a few days.

"You know," said a snide voice from behind her, "if you need a new mattress or something, I'm sure the house elves would be able to provide."

Without looking up from the blueberries, Bella said to Daphne, who was next to her, "Past the clippers please?"

Daphne, easily cottoning on, didn't look up from her plant to pass the spindly clippers handle first.

"I've heard," said Pansy, speaking louder to get other people's attention, "that you get to go home once a month. Do you go visit your mummy and daddy? Oh, wait - you can't!"

While it was a rather stupid insult, Bella couldn't help thinking of the way that her father had shouted for her all those years ago. Why couldn't she just forget that night?

Pansy was still talking. "Who was you're mother anyway? No one ever talks about her. Was she a muggle? Ooh… that would be bad - such a shame that such a well bred man could associate with such filth. Such shame _you_ would bring! The first half-blood in your family in what? Eighty years?"

Bella bit her tongue.

"Or _worse_ \- squib! Was your mummy dear a squib?" She yanked on one of Bella's plaits, making her head jerk back painfully.

Bella could see a good amount of the class watching - Slytherins calculating how she would react, and Gryffindors wondering whether to bother defending a Slytherin. She saw Harry Potter and his friends - Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger looking at her with a mixture of pity and disgust. Professor Sprout wasn't watching, attention on Neville and his perfect Bubbling Blueberry plant.

Pansy was smiling, sickly sweet - Bella could tell without looking at her. "A squib's almost worse than a muggle. My mother says they ought to be our slaves, not elves."

"They - are - _not!_ " Hissed Bella, thinking of Emily.

"Ooh!" Giggled Pansy. "A blood traitor too! So, let's list it off - you're a dirty half-blood, with a disgusting squib mother, a blood traitor, and -"

Bella, searching wildly for something to retort with, snapped, "Well at least I know who my father is - I'd say there's a good chance Lord Greengrass isn't even your -"

Pansy pushed her so hard that she went sprawling onto the floor, knocking over pots and jars on her way down. There were surprised gasps from the girls and hoots from the boys. They certainly had Professor Sprout's attention now.

"How _dare_ you!" Screeched Pansy, now towering over her. "You don't even deserve to be here - you're just a filthy half-blood! You can't even do magic - You haven't even Transfigured anything this whole year! Your parents deserved to die for having _you_!" She kicked Bella in the side, very hard, making Bella yelp.

The tears that had been present in her eyes all day once again spilled out. If her father hadn't hesitated to yell for her before saving his work, he would have lived - and if he'd lived, her mother would have lived as well. It was her fault - all her fault.

Her fault, her fault, _her fault_!

She could think. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't see through the tears. She couldn't think except that it was _her fault_.

Bella was unaware of getting to her feet, of pushing past alarmed classmates, slamming the glass door to the greenhouse open, and running. Professor Sprout was shouting, Daphne was running after her, trying to grab her robe, but Bella kept running, feet sinking into the fresh snow and slipping on the old, frozen ice beneath it. Trees were flashing past her, branches reaching out to scratch her, roots tripping up her cold-numb feet.

After a time, her feet slowed, and she found herself in a clearing.

A clearing with an imprint, a square, where no snow seemed to have fallen. It was shaped like the ritual mirror from Samhain.

 _To be continued..._

 **Notes:**

 ***The Raaja of Aakaash'daavar is a made up person for the purpose of this story, he is the king of Aakaash'daavar, one of the wizarding districts in India. Aakaash'daavar should translate to 'sky portal/door' or something of that sort.**

 **That's it for now. I'm gonna try and post the next chapter slightly quicker (she promised, knowing it wouldn't happen), and I hope u enjoyed this one.**

 **FACECLAIMS (my imagining of canon characters as well as my OCs):**

 **Sabella - young Georgie Henley (Lucy from the Chronicles of Narnia movies)  
Daphne - Elaine Carlin (in that gorgeous side view portrait)  
Emily - young Daisy Ridley (no context needed really, just when she had short hair)  
Aunt Elena - Lauren Graham  
Draco - Tom Felton (sorry he was great at capturing his arsehole-ish-ness as well as his depth)  
Fred and George - Linus wordemann  
Blaise Zabini - young Shawn Sutton  
(like damn gimme a hot man)  
Theodore Nott - Francisco Lachowski  
Hermione Granger - Amandla Stenberg (preferably as Rue)  
Henry Merkel - Skandar Keynes (again from Narnia)**

 **If your still wondering about how my characters look, I've made an Instagram luciemalfoysdaughter101 with some moodboards, descriptions, and shite. Go check it out!**

 **ttfn!**


	12. Secrets of the Forest pt 2

**/Sigh/ I'm finally done with this. Idk why it took me so long, considering it was the chapter I've wanted to write for the longest, but that was just how it turned out.**

 **I don't own Harry Potter/the Wizarding World but I do own my OCs and my plot!**

* * *

 _The tears that had been present in her eyes all day once again spilled out. If her father hadn't hesitated to yell for her before saving his work, he would have lived - and if he'd lived, her mother would have lived as well. It was her fault - all her fault._

PART TWO

Bella collapsed to her knees in the snow.

 _How_ had she never thought about it before? How had it never occurred to her that her father's death was her fault? Something in Pansy's hateful, jealousy-driven words had made her realize it.

Slowly, she looked up, eyes blurred and burning, and looked around the clearing. During the Samhain ritual, it had been full of people, warmth, and the underlying reassurance that the dead wouldn't be able to harm those still alive. The fire had burned brightly, suspended in midair above the mirror, casting its flickering light to the edges of the clearing.

Then, it had felt almost reassuring, but now, the clearing was empty. The patch of ground the mirror had covered didn't seem as if it were alive anymore. The snow made a frozen, death-like quilt across the rest of the area, and somehow, seemed more ominous than the blank spot in the center.

A chill burst up Bella's spine, and she jumped. For a brief moment, she almost wanted to try and speak to her father - tell him she was sorry, sorry that she had let him died. But then, she came to her senses. Her knees were numb and wet from the snow, her hands were trembling, and she was dreadfully aware of a story one of her seal-cousins had told her about a Samhain rite gone wrong and the terrifying spirit that had been trapped in the ritual circle.

In a drifting, trance-like state, Bella stood back up and began to walk. She was barely aware of her feet carrying her into the forest, away from the castle, the people, and the empty clearing. The sun glanced through the empty-branched trees and glittered on the crystalizing snow. It was a cold sort of light, one that couldn't warm you in the slightest.

It was a strange sight - a small girl walking slowly through the frozen trees, along one of the few paths into the far parts of the forest, seemingly completely unaware of everything. Her robes were partially open, her skirt crooked, and her stockings were falling down to her ankles. The snow crunched under her soaked school shoes, small branches snapped into her face and against her arms and legs, but she walked on.

* * *

Unaware she was - as Bella drifted along, thoughts swirling and pressing at the backs of her eyes, barely a half mile away, another girl was speaking coldly, tears in her eyes, back painfully straight and fists screwed up, for once ignoring the strict etiquette she usually abided by. Daphne Greengrass had never felt quite so infuriated and helpless in her entire life.

Daphne had followed her friend's lead and kept her head down, not responding to Pansy's taunting. She hadn't seen Bella's sudden retort coming - perhaps some of her own sarcasm was rubbing off on the other girl. But, from the moment that the retort had left Bella's lips, Daphne knew that it was an error. And then, Pansy had blown up - it had to happen eventually, but it was still startling. The daughter of the sly, quiet, and aloof Lady Parkinson nee Rosier exploded.

It was ugly to say the least.

Daphne watched as Bella, the girl she was slowly considering her best friend, broke even harder than she had that morning. Daphne chased after her through the snow, yelling for her to slow down, to forget it, to rise above it. Daphne watched as the other girl continued on, scrambling through the snow towards the line of tall, barren trees.

Slowly, Daphne turned around and walked back to the greenhouse. The class was standing dumbly, unsure of what had happened, unsure of what to do. Professor Sprout, who Daphne had never heard raise her voice, was berating Pansy at the top of her lungs.

Without looking into a single face, Daphne marched up to Pansy, squared her shoulders, turned up her nose, and and looked directly at the other girl, just like her mother had taught her. "In this generation, the Most Noble and Ancient House of Parkinson will not find an ally in either the Most Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass or the Most Noble House of Dagworth-Granger."

Pansy's mouth dropped open, and Daphne heard intakes of breath from some of her peers.

"You can't _do_ th-" began Pansy, but Daphne wasn't finished.

"Bella's father was killed today." She said, her voice wavering slightly. "Two days after she turned five; four years after the end of the War. She still remembers. She told me."

Daphne took a small amount of pleasure in the way Pansy's lip trembled.

"She remembers being trapped in a burning house. She remembers _everything_! Her mother died too- a little while after. And _you_ \- you just _have_ to taunt her about that! So yes - I can do _that_. Bella is my best friend, and an ally of the House of Greengrass, and therefore I can speak for both of us."

"I didn't mean to insult you-"

"But you did. I would advise you think before you insult - in case you didn't know, _everyone_ post someone to the War. My uncle tried to stay neutral - he was killed; my Great Aunt was Secondary Head to the Auror Department - she was killed, along with my Great Uncle. I bet you that everyone, even some muggleborns lost someone to the War."

The only sound in the greenhouse was the soft foaming of the Bubbling Blueberries. Now that Daphne had spoken, she wasn't sure what to do - somehow, her mother's lessons never got this far. If only they had shared this class with Ravenclaws, she could have gone and sat with Padma, Lily, Sue, and Morag. They would have understood. But in this case, the people around her were prejudiced Gryffindors and calculating Slytherins.

She turned away from Pansy, faced Professor Sprout, and said quietly. "I'm sorry to have disrupted your class."

Sprout was staring at her with an odd, soul-searching look, and it took a moment for the woman to respond. "It's quite alright dear."

For a moment, Daphne intended to leave the class and find Bella, not sure if any of the Slytherins would take her side, but then, she noticed that Parvati and her friend Lavender were indicating for her to come over to their station. She hesitated for only a moment, before her father's voice reminded her quietly, "Make allies, not enemies."

Keeping her back straight and chin up, Daphne picked up the plant she had been working on, carried it over to the other girls, plonked it down, and looked expectantly at Professor Sprout to finish the lesson (pretending very hard that she wasn't terrified of her friends' reactions - her _parents_ reactions. or that she wasn't desperate to find Bella, her best friend and ally).

After a long pause, Professor Sprout said, "Well, continue on, then! Those roots need to be trimmed!" She rounded on Pansy. " _You_ , Ms. Parkinson, will come with me."

Pansy, who had obviously thought the worst was over, made a face and followed the professor to the back of the greenhouse.

There was a moment of silence, before the class burst into noise again, talking and whispering and pointing. Daphne clenched her jaw. She _really_ hoped she hadn't done the wrong thing.

"That was really brave, you know." Said Parvati imploringly, while Lavender nodded in agreement.

Daphne gave a polite 'hmm', and said after a second, "Your very brave to invite me over - normally Gryffindors don't even talk to us."

"Yeah, well," said Lavender in her quiet voice, "someone needed to stand up to her. She's a right bully, she is - she pokes fun at everyone, even people in her own house! Normally you lot seem so - I dunno, tight-knit, I guess. But even we can tell she's horrid to you, and Bella, and whats-her-name… Her, over there -" she pointed at Millicent Bulstrode.

"Millie, yeah…" Parvati supplied. "She is - and she bosses everyone around, and thinks that nothing will happen to her! I have half a mind to revoke _our_ house alliance - not that we have a strong one in the first place."

"Oh!" Said Daphne, startled at the support she was getting, "Don't do that - that'll just make things worse."

Parvati nodded absently, clipping a large root off the Bubbling Blueberry. "Well, we'll be on your side if she gets mean again - she tripped me at the top of the stairs the other day -"

"So will I - she started telling people that I fancied Oliver Wilbourne - he's not even that attractive!" Lavender added.

Daphne smiled slightly. "You're too nice…" She hesitated as she clipped slightly too close to the stem, and the plant bubbled viciously at her. "I want to go and find Bella - she was practically running into the forest, and I think I know where she might be."

"Ooh…" Whispered Parvati. "You might want to wait 'til after class - or at least when Professor Sprout's done yelling at Pansy!" She giggled a bit. "She really does deserve it - I feel so sorry for Bella."

With a grimace, Daphne finished trimming the roots of her plant, promptly dropped her clippers on the table, and sat down one their bench with a thump. By the end of class, Daphne was bouncing her leg in anxiety, worried about where Bella had got to.

As the most of the class headed up the lawn for the afternoon free and study hall before dinner, Parvati and Lavender followed Daphne over to the professor, who was putting away the clippers in a large utility tray.

"Excuse me, Professor, but can I- um, _we_ , go and look for Bella?" Daphne asked hurriedly.

Professor Sprout looked up at them in surprise. "Wha- oh, yes of course! I thought you'd already gone - just don't go into the forest or out of sight from the castle."

The girls glanced at each other, before running out and down the lawn in the direction of the Forest. They were all panting by the time they got to the clearing that Daphne knew Bella would be in - but she wasn't there. The only things left in the clearing were the empty print of the mirror, a dent were someone had fallen to their knees, and a set of footsteps leading ominously into the woods.

* * *

Sabella was sat on a log.

It wasn't particularly comfortable, considering as the decaying bark was slimy and crumbling underneath the frozen snow, but it was somewhere to rest. Bella had walked for a very long time, and eventually, her thoughts had calmed enough for her to appreciate the forest around her. Most of the recent snow hadn't managed to get through most of the tangled upper branches of the trees, so the path and the bracken around it only had deep patches of snow every other step. The watery afternoon sun slipped tiredly through the branches in thin sheens and the few birds remaining in the forest gave distant cries. As Bella got deeper into the forest, the trees seemed to shift closer together, their aged bodies twisted strangely.

Of course, a proper witch knew that there were rules to walking in a forest or a wood, and Bella was no exception. She'd stayed to the paths, avoiding ones that seemed to call out to her, she'd dutifully remembered which way she'd come from, she hadn't turned to look when for a second, she'd heard slow, dragging footsteps. As Bella passed through a patch of tree-less brush, she'd come across a ring of swaying mushrooms poking out of the snow on the side of the path; without thinking much, she'd made the 'M'-shaped sign of the Forest Guardian, Fiodh'dìon, mumbled a simple protection rune (" _Ara tutela_ "), and walked around the fairy ring carefully, never showing it her back.

Walking in a forest of any sort was dangerous, of course, but any decent witch could travel through one without much fear. In any way, it helped to distract Bella from her thoughts.

So now, very deep in the forest, sat upon a decomposing log, Bella felt almost calm. There was still the aching chasm where her chest should have been, and a scraping pain wrapped around her throat from crying, but she had cooled down, both mentally and physically. In fact, she was suddenly aware of how cold it was - surely it was freezing, at _most_ , and Bella only had her uniform winter cloak on.

 _I'm going to get detention_. She thought suddenly.

"Ughh…" She groaned, amazed she hadn't thought of that. "I'm going to be in so much trouble!"

Soren, curled inside her collar for warmth, gave a sudden squeak, seeming surprised that she had spoken out loud. The winged mouse had wisely stayed quiet as she marched through the woods, and had only spoke to warn her of logs across the path or something of the sort. He was very good at being quiet, as he liked to stay in Bella's pocket during the school day, and she wasn't entirely sure if he would get taken away if a teacher noticed him. He gave another squeak, louder this time.

 _~I smell something.~_ he said, pushing his head out and sniffing intensely.

Bella looked around, wondering what could be so significant that he would tell her. _~What does it smell like?~_ she whispered to him.

He hesitated, his whole body quivering with each sniff. _~... It smells like death.~_

 _~What?!~_ Bella hissed, jumping to her feet.

There was a soft rustling from the way that they had come; she spun to stare at the overgrown path, and into the dappled light. Something pushed its way through the branches covering the path, and Bella screamed. Whatever it was, it certainly _looked_ like death - a huge, black, horse-skull that almost looked like a dragon. It had staring, pupil-less eyes, with gaping nostrils and breath coming out in swirls of mist.

Bella had never run quite so fast in her life. Though, running through the forest, she found, was practically impossible - roots, shrubs, and fallen branches tripped her up, even on the narrowing path she ran along. The skeletal arms of trees reached out to grasp at her hair, clothing, and skin; every slight noise apart from her labored breathing and crunching footsteps sent Bella spinning around to look in every direction.

After what felt like forever (but was probably only a few minutes), Bella collapsed at the foot of a knotted old tree, gasping for breath. Even in the bitter cold, her eyebrows and upper lip were itching with sweat.

 _~Can you smell it?~_ she breathed to Soren.

Soren, who was still trembling slightly and digging his tiny fingers into her shirt, sniffed once more.

 _~No.~_ he said at last. ~ _There is something else though. I am thinking we ought to go back to the castle.~_

 _~You're right.~_ Bella muttered, pushing herself back to her feet with the tree. _~I shouldn't have gone out here.~_

Soren shifted, seeming to be more comfortable now, and stretched his right wing absently. _~You were distressed - it is not a matter. Let's just go back_.~

 _~Right.~_ Bella looked around. They were on a small deer-path, barely even worn in, and within a few feet in either direction, it split into multiple different directions. _~Which way?~_

 _~How am I supposed to know? I was just barely holding on as you fled!~_ Soren exclaimed.

There was a sickening drop in her stomach. _~Soren…~_ she whispered. _~I think I'm lost.~_

They were both quiet for a moment, before the mouse asked, ~ _Are you certain?~_

She nodded very slowly, her stomach dropping lower. Hesitantly, she asked, ~ _Could you fly up and see which way the castle is?~_

As a response, he jumped from her should, spread his wings, and spiraled up, up through the branches. Bella squinted as he rose even higher, and realized how funny he looked when he flew. With a body barely as big as a sparrow and wings roughly the span of a magpie, Soren looked slightly disproportionate in the air.

After a moment, he swooped back down and landed lightly on a nearby branch. ~ _It is very odd,~_ he said, wings still extended partially. _~But I cannot see the castle.~_

"What?!" Exclaimed Bella.

They couldn't have gone more than four or five miles - she had mostly been walking. The sky was darkening to a faint, bruised light, and they were in the middle of the forest, apparently to far from the castle to see it.

 _~How is that possible?~_ she asked, rhetorically.

Soren's wings rose and fell in a shrug.

 _~I'll just go back the way we came.~_ Bella decided out loud.

They walked for a long time, in what Bella hoped was the right direction - it was very hard to tell, as the grey-green shadows of the twilight forest seemed to blend into itself as night fell.

She found herself slowing down, as her feet began to drag through the leaves more than usual, and she started to get the prickling sensation that someone was watching her. When she voiced these sensations to Soren, he breathed into her ear, _~Yes… there is something watching, but I cannot smell it. Keep on walking.~_

A chill of true terror sprinkled down her spine, but she forced her stiff legs to move in front of each other faster. Her breaths and the crunching of the snow and the squelching of the soggy leaves became to only rhythm she could follow. The quiet pressed against her ears - no bird calls, no rustling of empty branches, no muffled snowfall, nothing. The only sounds she could pick out were her own.

Bella paused to peer up at the sky through a small break in the branches, and was startled to see that the pin-prick stars were now shining through the heavy winter-black sky. She also noticed with a start, the sudden plummet in temperature now that the sun was entirely gone.

Wrapping her robes tighter around her, she turned around a bit, squinting into the dark. She couldn't shake the tingling feeling of being watched, but she couldn't _see_ much, so with a sharp exhale (ignoring muttered protests from Soren) Bella sat down against a tree, in between its raised roots. And, with only the persistent unsettled feeling and the unnatural quiet of the frozen, dark forest, she began to sing.

" _Oh, boatman, you're far from home,_

 _s'na oeh rey-a!_

 _Oh, boatman, to where do you roam?_

 _s'na oeh rey-a!_

 _You've a wee child_

 _Waiting for you_

 _While you're out on the wild_

 _Battling the sea_

 _Oh, boatman, you're far from home,_

 _s'na oeh rey-a!_

 _Oh, boatman, to where do you roam?_

 _s'na oeh rey-a!"_

Her high, thin, and wavering voice seemed to slip away from her before she could even appreciate the break in the silence. The odd feeling seemed worse when there wasn't any noise, but somehow her own voice made the dark seem even more eerie. She continued anyway,

" _Oh boatman, you're far from home,_

 _s'na oeh rey-a!_

 _Oh boatman, to where do you roam?_

 _s'na oeh rey-a!_

 _Through our land,_

 _This sacred land,_

 _Nightmares sprite confusion,_

 _Come back to us_

 _And clear our sight_

 _from all illusion_

 _Oh boatman, you're far from hom-"_

Bella snapped her mouth shut. There was another noise now - a soft flapping of wings, and a low, chilling hum. Soren was frozen on her shoulder, and she pressed herself further against the tree. Her eyes couldn't find anything in the dark, except the vague glow of a distant moon above the branches.

The flapping grew louder, and then there was a clattering, and Bella looked up in surprise to see five ravens, sat in a row along a branch in the tree above her. Unbiddenly, a black-bird counting rhyme pushed its way into her head; but she quickly dismissed it - five birds was for silver.

There was a shifting of branches somewhere to her right, and Bella let out a whimper - there was a pair of eyes reflecting the moonlight from between the trees. She stared into the eyes, wondering how it felt to be ripped into pieces. Her hand wrapped around her wand inside of her robe pocket.

And then, the hum came again - but now, Bella knew that it was a growl; a growl so terrifyingly low that you could feel it in the ground, and deep in your bones. It was coming from directly in front of her. Slowly, she turned her head forward, drawing her wand in a defensive stance and froze.

In all her short life, Bella had never seen a wolf. But she was _almost_ certain that wolves were _not_ supposed to be the size of full-grown horse. This wolf had scars decorating its muzzle, and scraggly, dark fur. Its yellow-green eyes were piercing and terrifyingly feral, and its fangs were bared - each at least as long as her fist, and there were quite a few of them.

Wolves, in her experience, were also not supposed to speak English, but this one did.

" _What_ ," it snarled, "are you doing in my land?"

Bella couldn't seem to open her mouth. She stared up at the wolf, her chin trembling and palms sweating. Her wand arm was shaking so badly she doubted she could have done a spell if she tried.

It continued speaking ( _in English!_ Bella thought), "My message for your Ministry remains: this is our land!" It took a step forward, and Bella looked around wildly for a way to escape, only to find that more looming shadows were appearing through the gloom. "We have lived here long before you humans and your castle - and we have sworn to stand as the second wall to that! What else do you want?!" He - Bella was assuming it was male - took another step forward and growled again.

Bella squeaked, Soren fell off her shoulder, and she ended up clutching him to her chest.

There was a moment of terrible silence, and then another wolf stepped to the first one's side. This wolf was even bigger than the first, but seemed much less _wild_ \- its fur was neat and silver in the moonlight, its golden eyes glowed, and even though it was missing a good portion of its right ear, it had healed over, a tuft of fur covering the missing flesh.

This wolf brushed hesitantly against the first's side and spoke in a low voice, decidedly _not_ English, ~ _Be rational, Desvre_ — _this human is but a pup! It is most likely one of the pups from the castle.~_

The first wolf—obviously the one in charge—turned it's head to other, and snarled, _~I am entirely rational!~_ it raised its head dominantly, bearing its teeth further. _~This is the second time this moon cycle that a human has been in our forest! The master of the Castle swore that humans would not intrude on our land, but the idiotic Ministry has anyway.~_

 _~Yes, but_ —

 _~Nothing!~_ the wolf snapped his jaw and the other one stepped back, head bowed.

The leader turned it's huge head back to Bella and spoke in English. "I have very little patience—speak now or we chase you out. And put that wand away!"

Bella was almost certain that if she hadn't already been crying so much earlier that day, she would have been sobbing. But, as it was, she simply retracted her left arm against her body, holding her wand close.

 _~She is a child from the school. Please do not hurt her.~_ Bella looked down at the voice to find that Soren had climbed from her numb hands to cling onto her shirt, wings spread out across her chest as though he could protect her from the jaws of a wolf.

The wolf tilted his head. _~Who speaks for this human?~_

Soren, who was trembling even more than Bella was, replied, _~I am called Soh-har'en, son of Seh-het'car. This girl wishes you no harm - she can tell you herself! She is not with the Ministry.~_ he looked up at Bella. _~Tell them!~_

Bella looked back into the fierce green eyes of the wolf and took a breath. She opened her mouth, began to speak, noticed a few of the other wolves edge closer, stopped, then closed her eyes and said, _~My birth name is_ _Sah'belæ_ _, but I am known as Sabella. I didn't mean to intrude on your land, but I was scared and lost.~_

To her surprise, the main wolf sat down and looked at her more closely. _~I was unaware you could Speak.~_

 _~My mother was Selkie.~_ said Bella, still trembling.

The second wolf moved forward again to stand at the side of the alpha. ~ _A sea-wolf…~_ it said wonderingly.

The first wolf gave a grunt to interrupt the other. _~You have disrupted our hunt, seal pup. Some of my number will take you back to the castle by light, but for now… Rosemary, Shah, Norda, take this thing to the camp then rejoin us at the south-western stream.~_

And with that, the huge beast stood and cantered out of the clearing, tail raised behind him. Without him obstructing her vision, Bella watched in awe as at least a dozen other wolves melted into the shadows, leaving three behind; the hulking silver wolf and two others - a pearly white one with a short, almost-mane, and a pale brown one, smaller than the others, with a thinner muzzle.

Bella sat frozen on the tree roots, feeling rushing back into her body with relief. It took her a moment to feel the burning gazes of the three wolves, but then she made brief eye contact with the silver one, and trembled slightly.

 _~Well,~_ said the brown wolf, _~get up, pup!~_

Without taking her eyes off them, Bella pushed herself to her feet, and took a hesitant step forward, Soren clutched in her still-frozen hands.

The wolves still seemed surprised that she was a Speaker, so there was a moment of scrutiny, where they looked her up and down, something that made Bella feel quite like a piece of fresh meat.

The silver wolf swished its tail in a commanding gesture and nodded to the white wolf.

 _~Lead on, Shah.~_ it rumbled.

'Shah', turned and stepped off the thin foot-trail that Bella had dared not stray from. The silver wolf now indicated with its head for Bella to follow, and she did, after a seconds pause.

It was truly the strangest and most terrifying thing that Bella had ever experienced; walking through a pitch-dark forest in the middle of the winter, with three huge wolves in front of, next to, and behind her. Next to her stalked the silver wolf, and Bella was vainly attempting to keep her arm from touching the fur that was inches from her elbow. Somehow, for all their size, the wolves moves almost silently, while she tripped and stumbled through the dense unseen underbrush. She dearly wished that one of them would speak—the quiet was once again becoming unbearable—if only they would do something other than cast threatening looks at her every few minutes.

 _~I am sorry.~_ she whispered, concentrating on where to put her feet next. _~For intruding. I wasn't paying enough attention where I was running.~_

To her dismay, none of the beasts responded. She thought briefly that they hadn't heard her, and then, the silver one said, _~Why were you running?~_

Bella coughed in embarrassment. _~Today was the day my-... another girl hurt me. And I…~_ her voice broke, and she focused on walking.

She glanced up as the wolf beside her turned it's head towards her—it looked almost curious.

With a sigh, she dodged a low-hanging branch and started again. _~Today was the day my father died.~_

 _~I suppose that is reason enough.~_ the wolf said.

Bella nodded, absently surprised that she was agreeing with a _wolf_.

 _~There is also another girl who has been…~_ she searched for a word that a wolf would understand. _~... she's been aggressive towards me, and she was making me especially angry, so I said something back, and she attacked me… and I ran.~_

When she put it like that, she sounded rather pitiful. The wolf didn't say anything at first, but seemed to be thinking. Eventually, it mused, _~There is a point when one must fight back, simply to be another's equal.~_

"Oh." Bella said.

They were quiet as they came to a short cliff-face, and Shah, the white wolf, led them along the bottom of it until the face became less steep and shrubs grew more thickly. Behind a dense bush, there was a sort of thin path of loose pebbles that led diagonally up the slope. Here was the only place Bella saw any of the wolves lose their footing, and she ended up on her hands and knees to scramble up the steep incline.

It was a long while later before the silence was broken again.

 _~You are called Sah'bel?~_ said the silver one.

 _~That is my birth name.~_ Bella acknowledged. _~Most… people… call me Bella.~_

 _~I am called Rosemary.~_

Bella, who had been under the impression that this was a male wolf, tilted her head in confusion. ~ _Blessed be, Rosemary.~_ she said uncertainty.

The wolf almost missed its step as it looked back at her in surprise. _~You are different than normal humans.~_ it muttered.

Not knowing what to say to that, she changed the subject. _~The other wolf said that this was the second time this month that someone was on your land?~_

 _~Yes.~_ it said, jumping over a fallen tree.

 _~What did they want?~_

The wolf behind her gave a indignant sniffing noise, which made her jump. Rosemary looked over their shoulder at the other wolf, and made an almost chuckle. _~Norda does not think you ought to know. She doesn't think we ought to speak to you at all.~_

Bella, looked back at the sleek brown wolf and promptly tripped over a branch. Regaining her balance, she asked, _~Why_ are _you speaking to me?~_

 _~I am curious. So are they. So, I speak to you for them.~_ it chuckled again. _~Shah has been listening very intently.~_

The white wolf let out a barking growl and swished its tail it Rosemary's face, who muttered something like " _she-wolves"_ under his breath; answering one of Bella's many questions.

 _~I'm a girl!~_ she said indignantly.

Norda, the wolf behind them, made an approving chuff.

Rosemary gave a bark of annoyance, and said, _~Quiet now, we are nearing the camp.~_

And then, he turned back his head and let out a deep howl that Bella could feel resonate in the air, echoing off the trees, and up into the sky. Her arms were suddenly covered in goosebumps.

As the howl faded away, another answered. She couldn't quite tell which direction of came from, but it was a different pitch, and a different tone. Both Norda and Shah made short, harsh howls, and then Shah started through the trees in a gentle lope that Bella had to run to keep up with.

By the time they slowed, she was panting for breath. She regained herself and looked around. They were at the base of what seemed to be a steep hill, one that was covered in huge, ancient boulders that jutted out of the hillside like broken bones. Moss and vines clung to the rocks, and there were things that looked like nests under them. At first glance, it seemed deserted, but then, a shadow on the highest rock up the hillside shifted and leapt down from its perch. _~Rosemary!~_ said the new wolf. _~You are usually out the longest_ — _what sort of intruder would bring you back this early?~_

Rosemary shifted, and Bella, who was stood behind his shoulder, was exposed. She could now see that this wolf was much older than the ones she had seen. It had fur that had once been brown, but now was grey, and a pair of the most jaded eyes Bella had ever seen. The wolf regarded her for a moment, then looked at Rosemary for explanation.

 _~She is a pup from the castle, who got lost, and was making a racket.~_

The old wolf tilted it's head. _~How much of a racket can one human pup make?~_

 _~Running, shouting, and singing is quite enough to scare off small prey.~_

Bella didn't even pay attention to this slight, as she was still looking around the camp. The moon cut through the trees enough to illuminate the area, and she watched as Norda slipped up the slope, and ducked into a small cave under one of the boulders, which caused Bella to realize that most of the boulders had some sort of entrance to a shelter hidden beneath them. The vines hung down like a curtain in front of each one.

She took a step away from Rosemary and noted a row of odd, white sticks piked into the ridge of the hill, almost like a fence. Each of them had an intricate design carved into them, but she couldn't see exactly what it was. There were two other wolves up there, sitting calmly, barely visible in the dappled darkness.

"Human!"

Bella jumped and spun to look at the older wolf. Rosemary and Shah were gone, and the empty space felt odd.

The wolf nodded at her. "You will be taken back to your castle in the morning. For now, follow me."

Trailing after the wolf and across the clearing, Bella wondered if Rosemary had forgotten to mention that she was a Speaker.

They climbed the steep hill until they reached the highest boulder, under which was a proper cave, tall enough that the wolf (who was much bigger than Bella) could stand without even ducking its head. There was a large bowl-like dip in the smooth stone floor, right by the wall, that was padded with a mixture of moss, dried grasses, and fur.

"You can rest there." The wolf said.

Feeling uncertain, Bella sat down cross-legged in the nest, leaning against the wall. The wolf watched her closely for a moment before turning tail and pacing to the mouth of the cave and sitting down, tail curled over its feet.

Bella wasn't certain how long they sat there, but she was very tired, and slowly slid down against the stone wall, her back warming it slightly. She watched the bright quarter moon slide carelessly through the sky, and shivered at the occasional ringing howl that echoed through the trees and into the cave. Drifting in an out of an uneasy sleep with Soren snuggled against her chest was the most comfort she got in the painfully long night.

She woke as the sun began to shift horizontally through the leafless trees and into the clearing. With a tired groan, she shifted from the semi-fetal position to sit more upright and found that she was not alone. Ringing her, in an almost perfect circle, was a group of wolf pups ( _a litter?_ Bella wondered confusedly). Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, the bone-deep ache that was settling in her spine from the rock, or the almost constant terror of the past few hours, but Bella couldn't find it in her to be afraid anymore.

Logically, she should have been scared, for the largest pup was easily the size of a full-grown Newfoundland. The rest ranged in size, slightly smaller than the biggest, who was directly in front of her, but they were all in that stage of growth that advertised disproportionately long legs and short tails, as well as baby fluff around their faces and along their backs. None of them had grown out of their standard brown coats yet, so Bella (in her limited knowledge of dogs or wolves) mentally placed them at less than half a year old.

For a time, the wolves stared at her, and she stared back at them, simply looking. She supposed, in her low-functioning, sleep-deprived mind, that this was an experience that not many would ever have: being sat in a low, dusty, warm cave in the middle of winter, with cold morning sun lighting up the particles that swirled around the fur of a cohort of wolves that happened to be surrounding one.

Moving so that she was sat up fully, and crossing her legs, Bella absently pulled Soren from his protective stance on her head. It was quite amusing to watch all six—she had counted without realizing it—tilt their heads or trip backwards at the sudden movement, and she gave a mad sort of grin.

~ _Good morning._ ~ she said quietly.

She had to contain her laugh at the reactions she got—the big one actually tripped over his hind legs, one of the ones to her right gave a ungainly yap, and the one closest to her exclaimed '~ _It speaks!~_ '.

~ _I certainly do speak, Forest-pup!~_ Bella pretended to be affronted, feeling completely disassociated with what she was doing.

The biggest pup—obviously the leader—stepped forward, head lowered and extended towards her in curiosity. ~ _What_ are _you?_ ~

Bella considered how to respond for a moment before leaning in near his muzzle, close enough for the pup to touch her nose if he wanted. ~ _I am mostly human._ ~ she said simply.

Like most dogs she had seen greet each other, the pup cautiously brushed his nose against hers, nostrils working wildly to identify her scent.

It backed away slowly and sat on its hindquarter with a thump that made the dry dust on the floor poof up. Bella covered her mouth with her hand to not laugh as all the other pups near him immediately began to sneeze, sending withering looks no matter.

~ _Are you from The Castle?~_ one of the ones who had recovered from the sneezing attack asked wondrously, in a way that made it seem as if Hogwarts was some sort of exotic, far-off place.

~ _Yes._ ~ Bella said, glancing at the mouth of the cave, where the old wolf guard was standing with a slightly open mouth, as though in surprise.

~ _Why are you here?_ ~ asked another.

With a slight frown, Bella said slowly, ~ _I was lost, and your leader_ — _Desvre I believe_ — _was kind enough to allow me a place to rest before a guide back to the school.~_

The smallest pup, who still had the most soft fur, scoffed, ~ _Desvre? Kind?~_

A few of the other pups gave half chortles, and the largest gave an actual bark of something that might have been laughter. ~ _Perhaps you mean our alphess, Orrin? She makes kind choices but is very strict.~_

Before Bella could muster a reply, the elder wolf (who seemed to have somehow gone unnoticed by the pups) snapped her jaw shut in warning, teeth clacking loudly. ~ _Pups should not say such things about their elders,~_ she growled, ~ _they may fall out of the Moon's favor.~_

The pups all whirled around to face the elder she-wolf. ~ _Aunt Yarrow!_ ~ they chorused innocently.

She curled her lip, though Bella thought it was a playful scowl that pulled at the old muzzle. ~ _Only three of you are allowed to call me your aunt…. and it's only three pups whose mother is looking for them_ — _Jana, Jarven, and Jelna, go tell her where you've been!~_

Three of the pups sulked to the large wolf, growling complaints under their breaths. The most daring complained, ~ _Don't call us all in order like that, Aunt Yarrow, it sounds stupid.~_

 _~How else am I supposed to call you?~_ Bella could hear the smile in Yarrow's voice.

 _~I'm going to ask Desvre to change my name once I'm old enough.~_ sniped the smaller one.

~ _Yes, of course._ ~ Yarrow said condescendingly. ~ _Now go!~_ she turned back on the rest of them and Bella. ~ _Shiv, go and find Rulle, Molia, and Edon.~_

The biggest pup, evidently called 'Shiv', puffed up his chest and led the two other pups out, only looking curiously over his shoulder at Bella once.

There was silence for a moment, only interrupted by the faraway calls of ravens and jays and the bitter wind through the creaking upper branches.

~ _Rosemary didn't mention that you could Speak.~_ said the wolf—Yarrow.

 _~...Perhaps he was in a hurry.~_ Bella said in a sly, confident voice that she was almost certain didn't belong to her.

Yarrow gave a snorting scoff. ~ _That dog's idea of a joke…_ ~

Bella stood slowly, savoring a twisting stretch that made her back pop. ~ _Am I to leave?~_

 _~The party has come back, but you must wait until sun-high to have an escort.~_ The wolf replied promptly. _~And we cannot offer food other than our meat or bones_ — _I don't suppose they are to your taste.~_

Bella's stomach growled very promptly, and the tinge of empty pain began to clutch at her insides. "Well…" she muttered to herself in English, _~Is it customary to offer visitors food?~_

Yarrow inclined her greyed head, and said, _~Very.~_

 _~Then, if you have any to spare, I would like to be polite.~_ Bella decided out loud.

Perhaps if she had something to eat, the shock and fatigue would be more bearable.

Looking at Yarrow, though, Bella thought that if wolves had eyebrows, hers would be by her ears.

 _~We gather at the base of the hill.~_ the wolf said, turning and heading out of the cave, in an invitation to follow.

Bella ducked under the straggly winter vines that covered the entrance to the cave after the wolf. Soren gave a squeak as the bitterly cold air that had only partially permeated into the cave hit them. Instinctively, she wrapped her cloak around her—it gave her a degree of warm, as it was her winter one, but it was still just her uniform-issue cloak, not as warm as a charmed travelling cloak. Descending the steep hill, dodging the rocky outcrops and ice-covered patches of moss was much harder than climbing the hill, but Bella managed to keep up with the lithe old wolf.

It wasn't until they were halfway down the slope that Bella saw the rest of the wolves, and immediately rethought her decision to eat with them. There must have been more than twenty full-grown wolves, each, like the ones she had met, similar in size to a medium-height horse. The group of pups that she had spoken to had joined a few more and were playing rambunctiously; tackling each other and nipping at ears and tails.

And, in the center of the gathering of wolves was the gigantic carcass of something that formerly had dark brown fur. How they had carried it back from wherever they killed it, Bella had no idea.

Yarrow, who had made her way down the slope at a steady pace, looked over her shoulder to see why Bella was taking so long. The wolf seemed to smirk at her hesitance, which was enough to make Bella keep going.

They reached the bottom of the hill, and Yarrow led the way towards Desvre—the huge alpha of the pack. He was lounging next to a slightly smaller wolf with yellow-brown fur, both of their muzzles bright red, and large hunks of meat in front of each of them. The other wolves stepped out of the way politely, but started openly at Bella, who could feel the hair on her arms and the back of her neck standing up.

Yarrow reached the alpha first and bowed her head, turning it to the side to expose her neck to him. He gave a growl of greeting, then looked past her to Bella. With his eyes on her, he spoke to the she-wolf in a series of snarls, growls, and yaps. Hesitantly, Yarrow replied with a short bark and a head turn. The wolves around them almost simultaneously tilted their heads in surprise, then looked at Bella.

Bella, having absolutely no idea what was happening, tried not to start shaking or crying. _I'm hungry, a shared meal is polite,_ she reminded herself, _it makes perfect sense. Right?_

Finally, Desvre nodded once at Yarrow and spoke in Fey, ~ _You_ — _a human_ — _wish to share a meal with us?~_ he sounded downright incredulous.

It took a moment for Bella to stop her chin from trembling, before she said, _~I'm hungry… And I am not all the way human.~_

For a moment, there was silence, then, _~Let the pup eat!~_ one of the wolves called.

A handful of supportive barks echoed around the clearing in response.

~ _Well,~_ the alpha said, his voice taunting, _~We have had a good kill. Take your fill!~_

It was a challenge, she could tell. Really, she wasn't sure if she should accept it, but how else would they respect her? There was a part of her, probably the selkie side, that told her she had some right to be in the forest, and that she couldn't back down. But neither could she be impolite—that was just out of the question.

Utterly uncertain, Bella stepped to the side of the carcass that was nearest to her. She could now see that it had once been something that resembled a stag, only it was about three times the size of an normal one. It was splayed out on its side, stomach ripped open, and parts of its long legs missing. Around on the head, a set of huge, complex antlers was covered in blood at the tips, and as Bella looked around at the pack, she noticed jagged cuts across some forelegs and chests.

 _They fought for this food… to eat from it is to appreciate their work,_ she realized.

Squatting down in front of the stomach, she tried to think only of her anatomy classes from primary school, and remembered where the ribs ought to be—most of them were already gone, but the topmost rib was still partially covered by flesh and skin. Biting her tongue and trying not to breathe through her nose, she leant forward and wrapped her hands around the rib bone, pushing down with all of her upper body. It snapped inward, and still thinking firmly of her anatomy lessons, she twisted it, and with a yank, pulled out the bone with an ample amount of meat still on it.

She stood to find that the entire pack was still watching her in surprise. Quickly backing out of the way, she bowed her head in respect to the most beaten up looking hunters, the ones who had obviously gotten first pick for their efforts. The metallic smell of blood was seeping into her nostrils no matter how she tried not to breathe it in, and she had no idea where she ought to eat. Yarrow, the old wolf was gone, and the pups were still staring in slightly hostile wonder at her.

A warm poof of air hit the part of her neck not protected by her collar or braids, and she spun, raising the bloody piece of food up in an instinctive defense. It was the familiar muzzle of Rosemary.

~ _Not so hungry as you thought, eh?_ ~ he asked.

Bella, her heart beating wildly, set her trembling jaw and snapped, ~ _I'm starving, actually._ ~

A rather characteristically wolfish grin seemed to appear on his face. ~ _If you were starving, you'd be eating.~_

She scowled and muttered indignantly but quietly, ~ _I prefer raw fish to raw meat.~_

The wolf snorted. ~ _Strange water-creature. Come out of the way of the meal.~_

Bella realized that she was still in the way of part of the body, and the wolves other than Rosemary seemed hesitant to invade her immediate space. She followed Rosemary to the edge of the circle, where a strangely dark wolf was sprawled on its stomach, with a huge bone balanced on its forepaws. Its eyes were on Bella—golden eyes that seemed to glow against the black fur of its face.

Rosemary bent his head down to touch noses with this wolf, and they had a short conversation of low barks and snuffs. The black-furred wolf turned its gleaming eyes on Bella, and smiled. It was horrifying, each long fang covered in blood with chunks of meat and sinew in between; she had to struggle not to yell in alarm.

~ _Do sit down.~_ said the black wolf silkily. ~ _I am called Felian. It is… interesting to meet a human.~_

 _~Blessed be, Felian.~_ Bella said instinctively.

She sat down cross-legged with her back to the base of the hill, and faced mostly towards Rosemary and Felian. Her stomach flipped over slightly, reminding her how empty it felt, and without hesitation, she bit into the meat in her hands. It took a surprising amount of effort to rip off a piece, and even more to chew, but she managed to choke back some food. To her surprise, her mouth didn't seem to register the flavor of raw meat, and apart from the texture, it was actually not _that_ disgusting. She just pretended it was a bit of particularly tough raw fish. In a few minutes, she had consumed all of the meat clinging to the curved rib bone, and was wiping her sticky red hands on her outer robes.

 _~I suppose,~_ the black she-wolf said thoughtfully, _~that it is no wonder you are hungry. Humans must travel very far on foot to reach this far in the Forest. How many days were you lost before we found you?~_

Bella looked up, confused. _~It was only last night, I believe.~_

Rosemary, on the other side of Felian stopped chewing on the huge bone between his front paws. _~That is not possible,~_ he said flatly.

 _~What? Why not?~_ she said, completely at loss.

Rosemary shifted forward so he could see Bella better, and she moved so she was facing him more directly. _~It has been many years since the current master of your castle visited us, but I remember what he came to tell us of his wards.~_

 _~You mean guarding wards? Spells?~_ Bella clarified.

~ _Yes,~_ the wolf nodded, _~magic wards. He told us about a spell that has always been around this Forest, since the trees were just saplings, that changes the flow of time. He had strengthened it in certain places_ — _along the border of the great Wall. When a human magiker or any creature with harmful intent tries to enter or exit the Castle grounds through this Forest, the time changes. They may walk for three days and only travel a few feet, or walk for a day and find themselves a league into the mountains.~_

Bella, who was open-mouthed in surprise, whispered wonderingly, _~How is that possible?~_

Rosemary glanced at Felian, the back at her and shrugged. _~It is a huge magic. It does not apply to us, though, so I am not entirely sure.~_

~ _Doesn't apply to you?~_ she parroted.

~ _No,~_ interjected Felian, speaking before Rosemary could, _~Wolves have lived on this land since long before it housed a castle. It is our right to walk freely across this land, without magic changing our eternal hunt. The current master of the Castle respects this, so all well-meaning creatures of the Forest may pass through the border without effect. Either way, you must have spent at least a few days to reach our winter hunting grounds.~_

Worry was biting at the back of Bella's throat as she asked, _~How far away are we from the castle? Where even are we?~_

Rosemary stood and stretched to the side, making his fur stick out as his body contorted. _~We are about five leagues from the Castle, by the most direct route,~_ he said, as though it were only a rather long afternoon walk. ~ _Our winter hunting grounds extend from the Forest border far into the mountains, and we are about in the center of the territory.~_

 _~So…~_ Bella mused, feeling slightly sluggish with all of this information, ~ _I could have been in the Forest for days before you found me?~_

 _~You must have been,~_ replied Felian, not unkindly.

~ _I have to get back,~_ said Bella slowly, and looked around for a moment before standing. ~ _Your leader said that he could send a guide to bring me back. Is that possible?~_

Felian rose to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Rosemary, and the two wolves growled lowly to each other before Rosemary nodded. ~ _I will take you,~_ he said, swishing his tail, ~ _Felian will tell the others where we have gone.~_

Bella was taken aback by his willingness to help so immediately, and bowed her in slight embarrassment at it. ~ _Thank you,~_ she murmured earnestly.

The huge wolf nodded again and led her with a flick of his tail towards the edge of the clearing. She hesitated for a moment, patting at the lump inside her right pocket that was Soren, then feeling for her wand in her left pocket, just to make sure that both were still there. Then, wrapping her dirty winter cloak around her more firmly, she set off after the figure of Rosemary.

* * *

As they left the clearing heated by the bodies of the pack of wolves, the temperature seemed to plummet even further, and as she walked after Rosemary, through slush and wet leaves, she began losing feeling in her feet. Rosemary led the way down narrow deer-paths, seemingly oblivious of how hard it was for Bella to keep up. Whip-like branches lashed out at her upper body, while the same bramble and thorns of every forest bit at her legs.

Slowly, the path widened enough that Bella could walk next to Rosemary's shoulder without worrying of falling off the trail. It was again truly intimidating to walk next to such a huge animal, as she could feel his muscles shifting with every step he took. The simple raw power contained in his every movement made Bella conscious of how quickly he could probably kill something. They walked for a very long time in silence; Rosemary with his ears constantly swiveling and nose twitching, and Bella, concentrating on not falling over.

~ _What is the ocean like?~_ he asked quietly.

Bella looked up at his profile in surprise. She didn't answer for a moment, instead dodging around a gorse bush. Deciding on a simple answer, she said, ~ _It is wonderful.~_

The wolf turned its head toward her, never missing a pace. His golden eyes were alight with a wondrous curiosity. _~But what is it_ like _?~_

Again, Bella hesitated, unsure of how to put her images into words. _~It is huge.~_ she spoke with the reverence she used with the oldest Selkie Elders. ~ _You can stand on the shore and look, and all forward is water and waves. The waves themselves have voices—depending on the time of the day, they sound different. In the morning they play with the sand and the rocks, and gurgle against your feet. At midday, when the sun is above your head, they laze up against you, singing gently, and in the evening, as it turns to dusk, they crash against the rocks with fury.~_

 _~The sea is alive then?~_ Rosemary whispered, without looking at her.

~ _Of course,~_ Bella smiled. ~ _It welcomes me back with open arms, no matter if I haven't been in an hour or a week. When you first step in, the water fills up the space in you that needs filling.~_

To her surprise, the wolf sighed, and glanced back at her again. _~I have always wished to visit the ocean. Just see it, even.~_

 _~I'll take you,~_ she said automatically.

Rosemary seemed to smile. His voice was almost older-brother-esque when he muttered, ~ _Thank you, pup.~_

They were quiet again as they moved through clearings, over icey streams, and under half-fallen logs. Without the conversation, Bella realized that talking had been keeping her mind off the cold and exhaustion. She had a few whispered exchanges with Soren, speculating about how far they'd gone, and how much farther they needed to go to get back to the castle, but it was mostly just the sounds of the forest that were constant.

~ _What are the mountains like?~_ she asked hesitantly, not specifically aimed at the wolf.

Rosemary chuckled. _~They are wonderful.~_

The walking didn't seem as painful when Rosemary's rumbling voice was filling the air and her mind with descriptions of soaring cliffs, circling birds of prey, and corse brush that clung to the rocks, and heights that were so soul-pangingly great that they expelled the air from one's lungs.

Trees were beginning to spread apart, and the sun reached further into the Forest as it thinned. There were more noises apart from Rosemary's voice—birds calling, branches cracking, and other animals and creatures making vague far off noises.

There was some animal making a loud, persistent call that, as they continued on, began to become familiar: " _Bella!_ Sabella! BELLA!"

With a mad crashing of undergrowth, a huge shape barreled through the trees at them. A huge... recognisable shape, with a beard as wild as the tangles of bracken that covered the forest floor. Hagrid came rushing to them, exclaiming, "Blimey, Bella! We thought yeh was dead!"

 _~It seems you were greatly missed,~_ growled Rosemary softly and slightly sarcastically in her ear.

"Hullo, Hagrid." Bella said tiredly.

The giant man was looking at her with a mixture of astonishment, confusion, horror, and worry playing across his readable face. "Who's this?" he asked looking past her to Rosemary.

"... A friend." Bella croaked.

She turned to face the wolf, who had shifted so he was behind her. Looking into his face, and seeing her palid face reflected in his yellow-gold eyes, she whispered, _~Thank you, Rosemary.~_

He lowered his silver head so that it was level with her and gently pushed his wet nose against her slightly upturned one. _~You are welcome,_ _Sah'belæ. If you need guidance through these Old Trees again, just call for me.~_

Bella reached out her left hand (now rusty-brown with dried blood) and touched the top of his muzzle, and she swore, _~One day, I will take you to see my Mother Ocean. Bless'd be.~_

Rosemary lifted his head slowly, not breaking eye contact, before turning, and with a characteristic swish of his short tail, he was gone.

Bella turned back to Hagrid, who was standing open-mouthed in the same place he had been. He recovered himself, fished around in the pockets of his mole-skin coat, and pulled out his pink umbrella. With a few muttered words, he sent a jet of purple sparks into the air. The sparks hovered above them, drifting back and forth in the now afternoon light. Within a few minutes, bunches of people were converging on the clearing; professors, Prefects, adults dressed in the wine-red and silver trim uniform robes of Aurors, and… Aunt Elena.

She was still dressed in the usual prussian blue robes of Gringotts, her dark hair was in a falling-apart bun, and there were tears pouring down her face. She was saying things to Bella, asking where she'd been, what had happened, if she was hurt, and why she had blood all over her, but Bella was barely awake. The world was spinning, and the trees were bending down, along with the sky. Winter cold air that had been refreshing a time ago was suddenly very hard to breathe in; pixelated colours and darkness were fuzzing behind her eyes, and suddenly, she was lying down.

"I'm—perfectly… _fine_." she managed to rasp, before the world stopped.

* * *

 **Notes (plz read):**

 **un: a league is a bit more than three miles, so five leagues is about 17 miles. By normal human standards, if one was keeping up an average pace of three miles per hour, one should be able to walk that in 5 hours, so half a day. Obviously the Dark Forest changes that for humans who was passing the ward barrier, but for someone accompanying a Forest-dweller, they'd be able to do it in the normal amount of time. (in this essay i will,,, )**

 **deux: these are Dire wolves. I'm not being specific but: they big. Like really big, and this is a magic world so I'm using my artistic license ok mum**

 **trois: I'm so sorry it's like 3 in the morning idek anymore**

 **quatre: Youre probably thinking 'what the shite?' and ik, but this chapter needed to happen. I've had this sub-plot in my head longer than I've had this specific story idea.**

* * *

 **So, all the pictures of the wolves will be up on my Instagram, along with some faceclaims - luciemalfoy'sdaughter.**

 **FACECLAIMS (my imagining of canon characters as well as my OCs):**


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